Alone
by Darkness Dawn
Summary: Kaname takes a taunt too far one day, and Zero snaps. When Zero gets into a serious mess that breaks his spirit, Kaname finds that he's the only one who can heal him... but he has to deal with his own problems too. Yaoi. ZxK and KxZ
1. Zero

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Vampire Knight. I do however own my plot._

_**Summary:**__ Kaname Kuran loves taunting Zero Kiryuu, constantly reminding him that he lost everything, how he will become level-E… what would happen if one day Zero's had enough of Kaname's barbs? Not yaoi for once_

_**A/N:**__ Dedicated to the fact that Kaname-sama is a big meanie!!! :p. Kaname, I blame __**you**__! Much as I love you (a little more than Ichijou, but a bit less than Zero) I would like you a lot better if you'd be nice to Zero, who actually has a __**reason**__ to hate you! __**AU if you count the fact that Zero doesn't love Yuuki.**_

_*Ahem* right… _**Just read the story. IF YOU LIKE IT AND YOU REVIEW I MAY CONTNUE IT AND MAKE A KANZE YAOI!!!**

* * *

Zero slammed his forehead into the tree trunk. He _hated_ that arrogant sonofabitch bastard pureblood! Who the hell did he think he was, walking around with a pole stuck up his ass, acting like he was so much better than everyone!? _A pureblood_, obviously.

As if it wasn't bad enough that four years ago the pureblood Shizuka Hio had murdered his family, kidnapped his twin brother and turned him into a deranged psychopath! Then _he_ had ensured that the remainder of his sorry existence was a living hell. How could Yuuki see anything good in that heartless monster!?

Heartless monster… He was one too wasn't he? At least… he would be… But he hadn't always been like this… before, when he still had a reason to live things had been different…

Zero felt his eyes begin to burn as they threatened to form tears like they always did when he remembered his family. One hand grasped his shirt in front of his heart, as if doing so could dull the terrible ache of pain and loneliness that resided there. He was always alone, he could be surrounded by people, and yet still be completely alone. When he was alone by himself, the mask of constant anger that he wore to ward others away faded, he was most vulnerable alone…

Checking to see if his gun was loaded, the ex-human continued on his patrol. Then he picked up the scent of two humans. Day Class girls. His glare automatically slid back into place. Another set of creatures that added to his hell experience, _What a lovely way to spend the last days of your humanity, chasing after spoilt brats who don't have enough brains to fill a tea spoon!_

The girls jumped as they heard some rustling and a branch snap behind them.

"Was that one of the prefects!?"

"Oh I hope it was Cross-chan! If it's-"

"_Get. The. Hell. Back. To. Your. Dorms_!" snarled Zero, appearing behind them.

"**Kiryuu**!!!" shrieked the girls, turning and running back to their dorms as fast as their legs could carry them, shoving each other out of the way in order to get away from the male prefect as fast as humanly possible.

"My, my… so scary Mr. Disciplinary Committee…" Zero clenched his fists at his side. Oh he knew _that_ voice. The same cool voice that held no emotion, yet cut through him better than any knife could. He could hear the bite directed at him, and _he_ knew that so well, didn't he?

"Kuran" growled Zero.

"Now Kiryuu-kun, is that any way for you to address me? Didn't your parents raise you with manners?" asked Kaname, as if they were discussing the weather. Zero clenched his fists tighter, his nails starting to dig into his skin. The way Kuran mentioned his family so casually, when the vampire had no right to mention his parents, _at all_! Before he lost control and snapped the pureblood's neck, he stormed off into the forest, walking as fast as possible without running, he wouldn't give Kuran _that_ pleasure.

"Apparently not" said Kaname, easily keeping pace with the prefect.

"Don't you have someone else's time to waste Kuran!?" snapped Zero.

"Shouldn't you be speaking a little more politely? After all, it is in your instincts to obey your betters. Especially an ex-human to a pureblood"

_His betters… _Zero's fists were now digging so hard into his skin they'd drawn blood, but he didn't notice, anger had pumped too much adrenaline into his bloodstream, his heartbeat was pounding in his ears almost too loudly to hear anything else. He wasn't sure when was the last time he'd felt so pissed off. Oh, yes. He knew _exactly_ what ex-humans were to purebloods. Mercenaries, assassins, slaves, _whores_. He was _nothing_ like that to Kaname Kuran or any other pureblood, and he _never_ would be!

Without thinking he slammed the pureblood hard into a nearby tree, holding the older vampire up with one hand, his nails digging into Kaname's neck.

"_You_ have the damn guts to say that you're better than _me_!?" he hissed, his voice dangerously low. He was literally shaking with rage, his fangs could be seen as he gritted his teeth. "And just what makes you think that _Kuran_!? Huh!? What gives you the right to look down your nose at me!? To treat me like dirt and expect me to bow down at your feet and follow your every fucking whim, just because you said so!?!

"You don't know _anything_ about me!!! You have no idea what it feels like! How it feels to know that every second of your life is one of your last because you're slowly becoming a monster when you've done _nothing_ to deserve it! To be unable to be close to the girl who's like a sister to you, because you're afraid you'll loose control and rip her neck out! To see your parent's throats ripped out right in front of you every single night when you go to sleep! Knowing that the person you loved the most was someone who hated you the most! To remember how you told your brother to run from the monster in the house, and then found out that it was _him_ who let her in, in the first place!!!

"How would you know anything about loss and betrayal Kaname Kuran!? You're _never_ alone! All your adoring fan club leeches! That moron of a Chairman! Yuuki! They all surround you, treating you with kindness and care that you sure as hell don't deserve! I may be a monster, and a dead man walking Kuran, but at least I'm still human enough to have an emotional range greater than a dead man!"

Kaname stared slightly wide eyed into the hunter's lavender eyes. Zero's fingernails were cutting into his neck, and crushing his throat, but he didn't notice as he stared at the younger vampire. Zero Kiryuu's eyes were full of more emotion than he'd ever seen the boy display. Yes, there was the usual hatred and anger, but behind that were the true emotions: The heartbreaking agony and loneliness of a twelve year old boy who had had everything ripped away from him, locking himself away behind a mask of hatred so that the monsters couldn't hurt him any more.

"You know nothing…" he whispered, those last, quiet words full of pain, before Zero let the pureblood slump to the floor. He turned and walked away, leaving Kaname to stare blankly after him.

Kaname raised one hand to his neck slowly. Perhaps he and the hunter weren't so different, but it was true wasn't it? He _was_ a monster, even Yuuki couldn't look him in the eye since he'd bitten Ruka to stop himself biting her. But some of the things Zero had said were not entirely true. They were _both_ alone.

"You're wrong… Zero…"

* * *

_Well? How was it? I kinda like it! Very angsty! WOW! I can write angst! And yes, in case you were wondering, that _is_ how I see Zero. But he is a little bit wrong about Kaname, they're not so different after all!^^ now for yaoi… heh heh…_


	2. Kaname

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**NOTICE**__**: NEXT CHAPTER THE RATING WILL BE RAISED TO M. just so you know**_

_**A/N:**__ You asked for a yaoi, so here it is! I have no idea how long this will be, but I will include lemons and non-con in future chapters. It's Kaname's turn for the angst! Hope you enjoy! *wonders how she wrote this as she doesn't actually understand Kaname that well*_

_**Hypnosis:**_** I WILL REVIEW. I WILL REVIEW. I WILL REVIEW.**

* * *

Kaname Kuran sighed and rested his head against the arm of the sofa. Since that night he hadn't been able to see anything but Zero's eyes wherever he closed his eyes. Those lavender depths so full of heartbreaking pain… He couldn't help but think that they were so very beautiful… to be honest that was a very strange way to see it. As far as Kaname knew, he wasn't homosexual, but he couldn't help but find Zero attractive. So beautiful, yet sad and alone. Like a fallen angel.

But Zero was wrong about some things, he didn't know about loss? His parents had been murdered by his uncle, his own sister didn't remember him, he had to ensure that he remained on top of every political scam to keep himself from being manipulated and/or killed! Admittedly, he had never been betrayed. He wasn't sure what he'd have done if he discovered that Yuuki had helped Rido murder their parents. He had known that Zero had a twin, after all he was aware of almost everything, but he wasn't aware that Zero's twin brother had survived, it was completely unheard of, the younger twin would either be a miscarriage, or be a stillborn. Unless…

Unless Zero had actually been so kind and gentle, even before birth that he hadn't killed his twin. Kaname the knife of guilt in his gut, twist even further. _Great_, more guilt. But feeling guilty was completely irrational, it wasn't _him_ who had slaughtered the Kiryuu clan and made Zero into someone who only lived to hate vampires. _No, you just gave him more reason to hate vampires._ whispered and accusing voice in the pureblood's head.

_I did it to protect Yuuki, to ensure her safety and the safety of others._ He protested against the voice.

_Yes, but deep down you enjoyed it. You loved seeing that brief flash of pain in his eyes, to twist the knife in his wound from the second you set eyes on him._ The voice hissed back. _And why? Because you were jealous, jealous of a twelve year old boy who could be with Yuuki constantly, unlike you._

… Kaname couldn't think of a reasonable reply.

_And then it turned out that he never felt for her in that way, he saw her as nothing more than a little sister._ the voice in his head continued with malicious glee. _Is it any wonder they think you're a monster? Even little Yuuki…_

The guilt doubled. Kaname would probably never forget the look on Yuuki's face three years ago when he had taken Ruka's blood in order to prevent himself from biting Yuuki. A mixture of horror, fear and betrayal. Yes he had hadn't he? He'd never felt betrayal, but he'd betrayed her trust. She'd always thought of him as a good vampire, one who would never harm anybody, oh but he'd proved her wrong hadn't he? Poor Ruka now lived every day with the feeling of being used, and the false hope that the pureblood might one day return her feelings.

Kaname sighed. Yes, he was a monster, he supposed he was lucky Yuuki didn't shun him altogether. And to make matter's worse he was arguing with voices inside his own head! Was he going _insane_!?

Well at least having voices in his head would make him a little less alone than he usually was. As a pureblood, he could be surrounded by people and still be isolated. He couldn't trust anyone, for everyone would be after something, his status, his money, his blood. Something old Asato Ichijou had sought quite violently, Kaname had learnt to be weary of others, and to guard his blood incredibly quickly upon moving out of his parents house. He still remembered the council gathering he had attended to, shortly after his parent's 'tragic suicide'. All the adults there had offered their condolences, and said what a 'shame' it was to loose two purebloods, who had lost so much meaning in their lives they couldn't be bothered to live for their son. Nobody would dare treat him as a person, he was a pureblood first, and barely Kaname Kuran the eighteen year old boy at all.

Mentally he shook himself. Wallowing in grief and guilt wouldn't solve anything. He had to regain his composure and don his mask of indifference before the council officials arrived, particularly before Ichiou arrived. That evil old wretch would take advantage of any weak spot that presented itself.

Kaname sighed as he heard a knock on his door.

"Kaname? My grandfather and the council members are here…"

"Thankyou Takuma…" _Let's hope they don't cause too much trouble…_

* * *

_Hey how was that? This was my insight on Kaname. …It's more in-depth than Zero's was, and I focus more on Zero than Kaname…-_-; Any way, I hope I captured his character right, and the next chapter includes non-con and the rating will go up to M. You have been warned! (or reminded whatever)_


	3. Belonging

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**NOTICE**__**: **_**FROM HERE ON THE RATING IS M. **_**IF NON-CON OR YAOI UPSETS YOU DO NOT READ!!! Skip the randomness of the authors notes if you so wish…**_

_**A/N:**__ I'm introducing OCs as well, don't worry they don't have too much affect on the story yet. Here we go, on with the yaoi…even if it's not ZeroxKaname yaoi just yet… Uh… our favourite male vampire hotties probably think I'm a sadist due to my continuous torture of my little Zerorin…_

_Kaname & Zero__: YES!!!_

_Dark__: Honestly Zero! Just because I wrote you as a girl in one fic, made you cry for your twin as a baby in another, made Kaname rape you and then had you attacked by random evil killer penguins you think I'm an evil bitch!?_

_Zero__: Yes. Especially after this chapter._

_Dark__: *watery puppy dog eyes* Y-you still love me right?_

_Zero__: …whatever *looks guilty as the author cries her heart out*_

* * *

Chapter Three: Belonging

Zero and Yuuki stood in front of the Chairman's desk, listening to one of his speeches. Unlike most of his nonsensical ramblings however, he peered over the rim of his glasses with a sober expression, his brown eyes completely serious. Currently, he was informing them of a visit from the vampire council.

"These nobles unlike the students in the Night Class, do not support the schools pacifism nor will they be particularly civilised while here. The only thing that will stop them from attacking humans on sight will be Kaname's influence. Therefore I want you both to be extra careful… especially you Zero"

"Zero…?" Yuuki glanced up at her companion. Why would Zero need to be weary of vampires? Shouldn't they be warning the visiting council members about the hunter's tendency to pull out his gun at the very mention of the word 'vampire'? Of course Yuuki wasn't aware of the typical treatment given to ex-humans by their 'betters'. Zero merely scowled at his foster father. He and Kaien had made a deal that he wouldn't go looking for trouble, but he wasn't about to jump through hoops for these stuck up bloodsuckers!

"Whatever" he sighed, turning and walking out of the room. Yuuki turned to go after him, but was stopped by her foster father.

"Yuuki," she turned around, to meet Kaien's still deadly serious brown eyes, an expression she was not accustomed to seeing in the usually childishly happy man. "Watch over Zero, he may be tempted to behave rashly, and as an ex-human they will not respond well. The consequences for him may be dire, keep him out of trouble" Slowly Yuuki nodded, exiting the room slowly. She remembered Takuma Ichijou's words from his birthday party when he explained the Level Pyramid. _'Former humans are lower than common vampires. To tell the truth they aren't treated very well'_ Was that why the chairman was so concerned for Zero's wellbeing? After all hadn't Aidou referred to ex-human's as _'filthy creatures'_? Yuuki frowned as she walked down the corridor, deep in thought. _Even Kaname-sempai treats Zero badly…_ she bit her lip at that last thought. Yes, there was that one flaw in her otherwise perfect saviour, the good vampire, the one who held her heart. The vampires of the Night Class who would never hurt a human (Aidou being the exception, despite not being evil), treated anything that used to be human but no longer was, as less than… well, _shit_. Zero's being a vampire hunter probably didn't help either. Yuuki herself had only just worked out this, but Zero was born from a hunter family, he would have known these things, he had to _live_ as what he was knowing these things! _Zero…_ Yuuki felt her eyes burn with tears for the boy who was like a brother to her. _Just how much have you suffered?_ Yuuki had thought she knew the full extent of his suffering, but there was more, and she was once again faced with the fact that she knew nothing about vampires and the full extent of their cruelty.

As she was soon to find out, she still didn't…After all thanks to her sheltered upbringing, young Yuuki's innocent mind could never dream of the horrors a person, human or vampire could commit.

---X---

Kaname walked down the stairs calmly, his face was the emotionless stone mask it always was. Only Takuma could tell that his pureblood friend was irritated, jumpy and uncomfortable, and the blonde felt a pang of guilt as he remembered why. The Kurans had never got along well with the council, their pacifist ideals did not sit well with the majority of nobles and purebloods, the commons were considered below knowing such things as the affairs of the purest, most powerful line of the purebloods. Then Kaname had to endure the false pity of manipulative adults who wished only to use him for their own ends or his blood, followed by the council's 'generous' sacrifice, which had made Kaname physically ill for at least a week, probably not helped by being placed under Ichiou's guardianship. Living with old Asato Ichijou had literally been hell for the Kuran heir, Takuma _never_ wanted to have a repetition of what had happened while his friend had been placed under his grandfather's so called 'care'.

Ichijou shot a concerned glance at Kaname.

"Kaname! You don't need to see him, he and the council are just here to check in with the Night Class and Chairman Cross! And probably lecture me whilst he's at it!" Kaname just gave back a small smile that didn't reach his sad mahogany eyes.

"I just wanted to say hello to Ichiou, it has been a while since we last met and I'm curious as to how he's faring. That is alright isn't it?" The blonde bit his lip. _No! No it's not alright! You shouldn't be going anywhere near him!!!_ was what he wanted to say, and what he was definitely screaming inside his head, but obeying his aristocrat instincts and not wanting to go against the pureblood's wishes he merely replied:

"Of course…" and stepped out of the way, walking beside his best friend.

All tense noble eyes were on the pureblood as he descended down the stairs, they were all nervous after the last council visit when Asato Ichijou had attempted to bite Kaname. As his foot found the polished mahogany wood panelled lounge floor, the double doors of the Moon Dorm burst open, revealing four figures in black cloaks, the two larger men figures wore black velvet, while the other two wore dark crimson silk; One a small figure that looked like a child. And a feminine figure, though nobody could tell whether they were girls or boys from behind the shadows of the heavy black hood, with them they carried the toxic air of decay and death. Silence reigned throughout the grand lounge of the Moon Dormitory.

The council members had arrived.

"My, my, such a formal greeting…" murmured one of the men standing on the right and just behind the blonde man at the front of the group, a small sneer showing on his face as his sharp beady black eyes scanned the faces of the young Night Class. "And from such beautiful young nobles… We are… _deeply_ honoured" his smirk widened as his eyes searched up and down Ruka and Rima's slim, shapely bodies. Rima's baby blue eyes narrowed, while Ruka's face twisted into a look of absolute disgust.

"Pervert!" she hissed, while Kain, Aidou and Shiki sent a glare in the offender's direction, but only gained the uncomfortable feeling of having the man check them out instead (well, Shiki wasn't bothered, he was used to it).

"Tokoshima-kun, that is enough" said the elder man. The other man, Tokoshima shot a nervous glance at his leader before bowing respectfully and stepping backwards stuttering.

"H-hai, Ichiou-san" before allowing his long black hair to fall in front of his eyes, hiding them from view.

"Though it is truly unnecessary for all of you to greet us, I am merely here to see my grandson and ensure all is working out peacefully" Asato Ichijou could have smirked as not one of them made any movement, choosing instead to stand there. To protect _him_. Turning slightly he gazed at the young pureblood with eyes that showed the smirk his face could not.

Kaname didn't flinch or show any sign of being bothered, but inside the pureblood mixed emotions warred. The strong desire to turn and run, to lock himself in his room and never come out, mingled with the feelings of hate and fury, created from his wounded pride. It was hard to decide whether he wanted to run away from the man, or run up to him and tear his filthy throat out. But of course he couldn't do either of these things, instead he had to stand there and greet the bastard politely. But he could see the message in the old git's greedy eyes, the one that reminded him of how much power the council held over him, how much power _he_ held over him.

Ichiou bowed before the young pureblood and took Kaname's pale hand in his own gloved one. The three behind him bowed in respect.

"Kaname-sama"

"Ichijou-san" Kaname replied in a flat voice, the disgust at being touched by Ichiou was kept out of his voice and eyes by years of experience as a pureblood. Aidou, Seiren and Ruka stood nearby, both incredibly tense as they watched the old vampire with weary eyes. They didn't care if their leader reprimanded them for their actions, they wouldn't let this bastard attempt to bite him _again_. Shortly after that incident Kaname had decided it was probably for the best that his body guard had been absent on a mission during that particular day, attacking a council member would get her executed no matter what he did to prevent it.

Luckily, Ichiou pulled away. It still grated on his nerves that no matter what he did the boy would not submit his blood to him. Being so close to the pureblood, the smell of his pure blood, rich with untainted power… It was hard to control himself…

"Kaname-sama, allow me to introduce my accomplices" he gestured to the man next to him, who bowed in respect.

"Yukio Tokoshima, Kuran-sama" he said. Kaname guessed that his name suited him, Yukio, _gets what he wants_, yes, the young noble was probably very used to getting what he wanted.

Next the feminine like figure bowed, it's face still hidden underneath the hood.

"That is Masako Kage, she is our best assassin Kaname-sama" said Ichiou, as the girl bowed her head in respect. Kaname raised one eyebrow.

"An assassin Ichiou? And pray tell, what use would an assassin serve you in a school building? Were you planning on disposing someone?" Asato chuckled darkly.

"Of course not Kaname-sama, she is merely here for our protection as taking the guards would arouse suspicion from the humans of the Day Class, no?" _Oh? And four people in black cloaks carrying an aura of death won't?_ Kaname thought in his head, though he remained silent and gazed at the child. This one gave him problems… there was something about it… but what was it he felt… something… familiar…?

"I am Yasuo, Kaname-sama" said the child quietly, not bowing or showing any signs of respect.

"Hey kid! What makes you think you can address Kaname-sama in such a way!?" hissed Aidou, before he was pulled back by Kaname.

"Aidou" warned the pureblood. Something about that kid was giving him the creeps… the child was making him feel nostalgic… but what for he didn't know… "It was a pleasure speaking to you, however I am afraid I have paper work to catch up on, and I'm sure the Chairman would love to speak to you"

"Of course Kaname-sama, if you would not mind though, I would appreciate it if you would allow Masako-chan to remain behind and take a look at her surroundings, she does not feel secure in places she does not understand"

"Of course…" said Kaname quietly, frowning inwardly. What was the old man trying to imply? The girl was _shy_!? Not bloody likely, what was he up to? His pureblood instincts did not appreciate not being ahead of something.

And whatever it was it was not good…

---X---

Zero leaned against a tree in the woods on the school grounds, breathing in the cold, fresh air of the night. Luckily for the guardians, most of the Day Class girls had decided to stay indoors tonight, which meant that they shouldn't have too much trouble with the visiting council members.

The silver haired prefect scowled and closed his eyes as he became aware of one of the nobles' presence nearby. Stupid leeches gave him the creeps. They almost _physically_ stank of blood and death!

He was brought out of his thoughts however, when he heard a shrill scream. His lavender eyes snapped open and his hand went for his gun. _Yuuki!_ Rushing towards the sound of her screams, he came into a clearing. The world turned red as he came across the scene.

Yuuki was trapped in the arms of one of the black robed council officials, his eyes were bloody red and his long hair was black. His fangs were bared and his hand was undoing her school shirt. Poor Yuuki had never been so terrified in her life, her fear of being bitten and vampires that she'd had since she was five now mingled with the fear of what this man was going to do to her, as he felt his fangs pierce her neck. She had been bitten by Zero once, and even though that had hurt and scared her, it was different, it was _Zero_ it was… different. This- this was just painful and traumatising. Tears were streaming down her face as she shook from the force of the sobs. _What if nobody heard her!? What would happen!? Would she even survive!?!_ She was brought out of her doomed thoughts when a shot rang out, followed by the familiar low sounds of the anti-vampire charms in the bullets of the Bloody Rose. Her attacker howled in pain and dropped her on the floor.

"Zero!" she cried, glancing over to where her furious foster brother stood. Without thinking she ran to his side, she had never been so happy to see the moody hunter!

"Yuuki, get back to the Chairman's office, do you hear me?" he instructed her, without tearing his gaze away from the now recovering vampire.

"But-"

"NOW!!!" She ran, crying again. It was probably unfounded, but she was frightened for Zero. But Zero was Zero right? He was a vampire hunter, and a vampire too! Surely he would be fine!

…then why did she feel a twist of apprehension in her heart?

Meanwhile, back with Zero and Yukio, things were about to take a turn for the worst. Growling, Yukio used his power to influence the air and knocked the Bloody Rose out of Zero's hands, then knocked him into a tree.

"That. _hurt_." he hissed. Dragging Zero up by his hair. Unfazed the hunter merely glared back and replied.

"Good" followed by him being slammed back into a tree.

"A bit brave for an ex-human! Hasn't anyone shown you your place yet?," the boy merely glared back at him again. "Obviously not. Well then…" a cruel smirk found it's way to Yukio's lips. "Allow me to demonstrate" Slamming th ex-human into the floor he pinned him down, immobilizing him. Under different circumstances Zero would have been able to fight back, but he was weak from not feeding, the aristocrat attacking him was older, stronger and more experienced and besides he'd just had all the wind knocked out of him. His lavender eyes widened slightly as he felt Yukio straddle his hips.

The noble smirked. Oh this was going to be _fun_! The boy clearly hadn't been broken yet, and he was such a pretty thing… And he had a strong spirit too, they were always the most fun! Grabbing fistfuls of silver hair he yanked the hunter's head back, exposing the hunter's neck. He ran his tongue along the left side of Zero's neck, making the boy shiver, before hissing in his ear. "Nice tattoo, do you think the design will survive when I sink my fangs into it?"

Before Zero could even think of a sarcastic reply, he felt two sharp pains in his neck, and reality faded into a bloody horror film. Images flashed before his eyes …his mother lying on the cold white snow, her heart lying a few feet away from her… his father lying face down as blood seeped into the snow… Ichiru as he grinned down like a madman at the carnage… _that woman_ _her white hair, skin and kimono stained in red… blood red eyes… blood on snow… red on white… pain…_

Zero slowly started to return to reality by a sharp pain raking down his sides, and quickly realised there were tears running down his cheeks. Yukio yanked his teeth out violently, spraying blood on a nearby tree and began to admire his handiwork. The boy was _this_ easy to break? He focused on shredding the boy's clothes with his elongated claws, making sure to break the skin. The boy's thick blood had a wonderfully unique taste: sweet, yet not too sweet. Much better than the typical bland taste of most ex-human's blood. Zero whimpered slightly as his skin came into contact with the cold night air, Yukio had successfully destroyed his clothing.

_This couldn't be happening! It was a nightmare! God it _had_ to be a nightmare…!_

He had to admit, whoever had turned this one had wonderful taste. He was just surprised the boy hadn't been broken sooner, such a beautiful body shouldn't be wasted on the battle field.

Zero froze slightly as he heard the soft rustling and hissing of clothes being removed.

"Zero wasn't it? Heh, I think this is going to be fun…"

---X---

Kaname sighed and made his way to the Chairman's office, as it was the weekend he was dressed in his casual clothes including that long trench coat jacket he sometimes wore(the one that I want to steal). Tonight was proving itself to be a _nightmare_. He was suddenly aware of pounding footsteps, moving quickly. But he realised too late and Yuuki crashed into him. He felt alarm as fury build up inside of him as he saw her cry, then his eyes travelled to the two bite marks on her neck and where the top buttons of her school shirt had been undone.

"Yuuki, who did this to you?" _tell me so I can rip their heads off!_

Yuuki wiped her eyes quickly, she'd found Kaname! She felt hope rising up inside of her. He could do anything! She was so sure of it, he was invincible in her eyes. Kaname could make sure Zero was alright!

"Kaname-sempai! Zero! He-"

"_Zero _did this!?" Kaname was shocked and quickly felt all newfound pity fading. He would never have expected the boy to do something like _this_!

"NO!!!" shouted Yuuki, quickly and suddenly, surprising Kaname. She was suddenly angry at him. How could he even _think_ that Zero had done this!? "There was this man! One of the council members he- he- and Zero-" she was stuttering and making no sense now, but Kaname understood, and was gone quick as a flash. Leaving Yuuki to stand there confused.

Then an all too familiar scream pierced the air…

---X---

Zero now had a new addition to his list of traumatising, life destroying experiences. Every square inch of his body had been cut to ribbons, along with his clothes. He couldn't stop the tears of pain and humiliation as they rolled down his bloodied cheeks. Nor could he stop the cries of pain that issued from his mouth every time the aristocrat above him, tore into him, again and again, tearing apart tissue and muscle. Hell, he may even by bleeding internally! In all of his life, out of all the possible death scenarios life could have in store for him, he had never imagined _this_!

The pain finally ended when Yukio came inside of him, scorching his already tender insides. And making him cry out again, the humiliation ten times worse. The noble grabbed him by the hair again, and smashed his face into the ground breaking his nose. He then got up and put his clothes back on. Picking up his cloak he glanced over to the bloodied Zero.

"Have I clarified it for you whore?" he asked, now refastening his cloak "This is exactly your place, where you belong! And don't you forget that ex-human!" he chuckled darkly. "Actually, I may ask to visit again. Were you a virgin? You were wonderfully tight, and possibly have the best blood I've ever tasted. I'm surprised your master hasn't taken you before, you're a wonderful screw"

At this point Yukio Tokoshima's luck took a severe turn for the worse. Due to the timely arrival of Kaname.

The pureblood had heard the aristocrat's words and, taking a glance at where Zero was lying on the ground, knew exactly what had happened. Kaname was _seething_. The bastard had bitten and attempted to rape Yuuki, then he had _raped_ Zero! Even when the ex-human hunter had bitten Yuuki he had never felt such a protective rage build up inside of him. In his right mind, Kaname may have been shocked to realise he was jealous and angry over _Zero_ _Kiryuu_. But right now he was too pissed off.

The aristocrat in front of him had felt the pureblood's foul mood. He swallowed nervously. What if the ex-human had been Kaname Kuran's? And the pureblood hadn't seen fit to break him just yet? Oh god! He was dead! He'd touched a pureblood's property!

"K-Kaname-s-sama…" he whimpered, before being slammed into a nearby tree. _Oh dear god, he was going to die!_

Unfortunately, killing a council member would cause problems for the school and it's students, both human and vampire. Kaname's mind was at least clear enough to work that one out. Tightening his grip around the bastard's throat he growled:

"I never, _ever_ want you to set foot on these grounds ever again! Should I ever see you or you kind within a mile of this school I _will_ kill you on the spot! AM I understood!?!" Yukio whimpered and nodded, before Kaname reluctantly released him, and then he ran to the gates where the rest of the visiting council officials were waiting to leave.

Turning to Zero the pureblood took of his coat. Zero tensed when he heard the repeated noise of an item of clothing being removed.

_No, no, not Kuran as well! Haven't I suffered enough already!?_

But he was surprised when he felt the jacket being placed on him. He hissed in pain as the leather slid across raw, open wounds.

"Sorry" said Kaname quietly. If anything, Zero was likely to hate vampires all the more now. Gently, he picked up the limp form of the prefect, who Kaname noted, was surprisingly light. It worried him that Zero didn't have the energy to protest. The smell of blood in the air was almost over powering, and it took all his control not to bite the hunter or lick the blood of his hands, which were now soaked with Zero's blood. But somehow he still managed to keep moving in order to get Zero inside Kaien's office.

---X---

Meanwhile in her foster father's office, Yuuki had finally stopped crying and was sitting on the sofa, worrying about Zero. Maybe… maybe that scream _hadn't_ been Zero. After all Zero was too tough to scream. But all the same she couldn't stop herself from praying that her 'little brother' was alright

However her hopes were smashed when Kaname walked in through the door with a bloody Zero in his arms.

"Zero!" she screamed, running towards him.

"Good god…" said Kaien quietly. "Kaname, put Zero on the couch please" As soon as the words had left his mouth, Kaname had placed Zero on the couch and Yuuki had rocketed over to sit beside him, placing his head on her lap and gently stroking his hair like she had when she'd first met him and he couldn't sleep.

"Shh… it's OK, it'll be OK…" she murmured reassuringly. "You're safe at home, with me and the Chairman where you belong…" _Oh god, that man had done things to Zero! And it was her fault! If she hadn't run then- then…_ She felt tears run down her cheeks again.

Zero relaxed almost instantly under the warm hearted girl's gentle touches. Then bloodlust hit. He was hurt, and ashamed, and tired… he just wanted to sink into the blissful black oblivion that was threatening to take over, but no, being a vampire _had _to get in the way! Suddenly his senses registered the scent of blood in front of him, and without thinking he latched onto the source in front of him drinking greedily, unaware that it was Kaname's wrist he was feeding off of, in fact he wasn't aware that he was feeding at all! All he knew was hungry, blood, drink, before his mind lost consciousness.

When Zero fell unconscious, Kaname pulled away, glanced at Yuuki, who was engrossed with looking after Zero and turned to Kaien. Who sighed and sat down. This was what he had been worried about all day, the retired hunter had never liked that demon of a vampire Asato Ichijou, and the other council vampires were no better. Even with his pacifist ideals Kaien felt the urge to pick up his sword and go after the bastard who had touched Zero. He supposed he was just lucky that Toga wasn't here.

"Thankyou, Kaname. I know you don't like Zero, so it means a lot that you would help him. Even if only for Yuuki's sake" Kaname nodded, ignoring the spike of irritation that ran through him at the assumption. When had it started bothering him that everyone thought he only saw the boy as a pawn? It was true wasn't it? Once again a spike of guilt ran through him. Glancing once at Yuuki who had now fallen asleep cuddling Zero, Kaname was surprised to find he felt no jealousy only… gratitude? To Yuuki? When had all his opinions changed? Shaking his head Kaname left the room. Once outside he gave into temptation and licked Zero's blood off of his hand. He had to admit, it _was_ the best blood he'd ever tasted.

* * *

_Yes I know it wasn't much of a lemon, but it's about the emotional pain not the sex! Gah! That was the longest chapter I've ever written!_

**Review please!**


	4. Indebted

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N:**__ Yay I got to Chapter 4! THERE IS A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN YUUKI!!! I kept getting writers block whilst writing the chapter… -_-; I'm going to rewrite the summary soon… Thankyou all who have reviewed and alerted. And to those who are impatient about getting to the… er… 'romantic scenes' (You know who you are) Be patient! In this chapter we explore why Zero hates vampires and a drastic change in Kaname and Yuuki's relationship (dun-dun-dun! XD)…ZERO GET OVER IT AND MAKE KANAME SCREW YOU DAMN IT!!! … Uh… I lost control methinks…^^;_

_Zero__: Yeah, I agree_

_Kaname__: Since when is she ever in control? And I don't think that's too much of a bad idea…_

_Dark__: Hey! :( Kaname-sempai's being mean to me! And be patient damnit I have to start building up your relationship first!!!_

_Takuma__: Don't forget to review!^^_

_Dark__: What the-!? Where did Ichijou come from!?! _o-0 _…and gimme that yaoi manga!_

_Zero__: Don't ask me this is __**your**__ imagination._

_Dark__: Wow! I have a totally screwed up mind! No wonder my psychiatrist quit…_

* * *

Chapter Four: Indebted

It was sunrise when Zero opened his eyes again, he could feel something warm pressed up against his body. Looking down he spotted Yuuki, fast asleep curled up against him, her hands balled into fists clinging to what he realised was Kaname's bloody jacket.

Yuuki and Kaien (who was sleeping on a chair that he'd moved into Zero's room) were both fast asleep and looked like they'd been there all night. At first Zero's sleep clouded mind was confused and couldn't make head or tail of what was going on. But then he began to wake up properly.

The two Cross' were awoken by a loud retching sound, and then the acrid scent of bile met their noses. Yuuki became sharply aware that Zero was no longer in her arms. Sitting up, she spotted him leaning over the edge of the bed, emptying whatever contents his stomach still contained. She couldn't blame him, her entire world had been turned upside down and inside out, shaken _and_ stirred as of late. Everything was so wrong. Zero, so strong and unbeatable, had been dragged down and- _that_ had happened! She couldn't bring herself to think that word. Kaname-sempai, her beloved saviour who could do anything, had been too late and it was _wrong_, Kaname couldn't fail, it just didn't fit into her head! To top it off that horrible evil man had gotten away after he did… those things to Zero! Now everyone was in pain… Why was their whole world so messed up!? She glanced over to where Zero was now shivering, much like she had when she first met him; she wanted to pull him into an embrace and try to comfort him, but she was worried that if she did so he would shatter into a billion pieces.

Zero suddenly felt something gently rub against his back and making him jump since yesterday's fear hadn't left him yet. Turning around, he saw Yuuki with her hand outstretched and a hurt expression on her features. Slowly she began to withdraw her hand.

"Sorry…" she murmured. Of course Zero didn't want to be touched, why would he? With those memories in his head. She was so stupid and thoughtless… Zero stared at the girl as if he'd never seen her before. The brunette trembled slightly and the faint smell of salt water mingled with the scent of leather, dried blood and something else too disgusting to mention.

"Yuuki… I… it's fine just… give me warning before you try and touch me, OK?" Zero's voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper, but he gave her a weak smile to reassure her. Returning his smile, she slowly pulled him into a hug, ignoring the dried bloodstains on the jacket and the mixture of unpleasant smells. Then she realised something rather embarrassing.

"Uh… Zero… you're um… not wearing anything under Kaname-sempai's coat…"_ Which isn't buttoned up…_ both teenager's faces turned bright red.

"Uh… yeah…" _We're just lucky it's covering __**there**__…_ Yuuki couldn't stop her eyes wandering over her friend's blood caked, yet healing chest, the scratches looked about a week old. After all even though she didn't think of him in _that_ way, she _was_ a sixteen year old girl, and couldn't stop herself admiring Zero's lightly muscled, yet slim body. Of course Zero was attractive, a few of the braver girls actually admitted that they liked him (not to his face of course, nobody was that brave). The fact that Zero never took an interest in girls sometimes made her wonder if her 'little brothers interests lay elsewhere… Her blush deepened when she looked up and realised Zero had noticed her staring.

"Uh… I- I was just noticing how- how, er…" _Think Yuuki! Think!!!_ screamed her mind, begging her to think up a reasonable excuse. She was brought out of her panic by a quiet chuckle beside her, causing the small brunette girl to glare upwards. This was why Zero adored Yuuki, she was so sweet and gentle, and her clumsiness was simply adorable, she could make him forget about his pain, even if just for a few seconds. "How the wounds have healed so much!" she finished, scowling. Zero's good mood faded instantly, making Yuuki regret her choice of words.

Zero's mind was brought back to the events of last night, after the incident with the council member. When Kaname Kuran, the pureblood vampire had taken off his coat and given it to him, an ex-human vampire hunter Zero Kiryuu. He had then proceeded to carry him to the Chairman's office where… He had given him his blood… Wasn't that a little bit too generous for the purest of the purebloods? Zero was suddenly both confused and filled with dread. Why had Kuran done that, and what did the vampire want in return? The vampire had given him his blood so whatever the price was, it would be a heavy one. However the prefects were brought out of their thoughts with a crash as their 'father' woke up.

"You're awake!!!" he cried, jumping, making Yuuki fall of the bed, and causing Zero to glare at him, and of course Kaien Cross being who he his, he wasn't intimidated, in fact his grin got even wider. Sometimes Yuuki had to wonder if her crazy foster father was a sadomasochist who loved to wind Zero up for kicks, or maybe the day class boys were right and the white stuff he put in his coffee really was cocaine. It was just as well Kaname had visited Yuuki when she was little otherwise she may have gone crazy and ended up like her 'father'. According to Zero, she had inherited his culinary skills and like Kaien, should be banned from the kitchen.

Zero sighed and shook his head, once again retreating behind the same mask of anger he always wore. Truly, deep down he was touched that Yuuki and Kaien had stayed the night with him. Zero would never admit this to anyone for as long as he lived and in a way he wouldn't admit it to himself either, but he considered Kaien and Yuuki Cross as his family, more so than his birth parents in a way, as (by no fault of their own) they had never been home to offer him any comfort. Even though they had loved him and been proud to call him their child, they had more interest as his skills as a hunter than who he was as a son. The only ones who had really treated him like real family was Yagari-sensei and Ichiru… and now look at him, an ex-human vampire, shunned by the man who was like a father to him and betrayed by the little brother whom he had cherished and protected. Yes, that was where the real pain and hatred came from, though it had hurt to loose his parents and that had been enough to cause him to hate Shizuka, the true pain came from the discovery of Ichiru's betrayal. Zero was brought out of his brooding thoughts however when he saw the flash of something waving in front of his face. A hand.

"Cooee~! Zero-chan~!" called Kaien, before Zero shoved him out of the way, feeling too weak to punch him properly. Even though Kaname's pure vampire blood had healed the ex-human's body immensely, Zero hadn't taken enough to have fully healed and he was still slightly weaker than a completely healthy human. Or perhaps that was just the shock of what had occurred to make him so, after all rape victims were not known to become perfectly normal and happy overnight. The silver haired prefect was going to be having a new recurring nightmare for at least a few months. Damnit, he needed a break, some time alone to think things over. And Zero knew exactly where to go.

"All right, you two! Get the hell out of my room!" he snapped, glaring at the moron that had raised him for the past four years.

"But-"

"_Now,_" Zero growled, before the ex-hunter and the human girl both left the room. Once outside, Yuuki shot a glare at the Chairman.

"Now look what you've gone and done! Now Zero will lock us out! _Again_! And just when he needs us most too! You're impossible!" she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air out of irritation and storming off down the corridor. Why did her foster father have to choose _now_ of all times to irritate Zero!? _Why!?_

If Yuuki had been in a more clear state of mind, rather than being both tired from having woken up and being unable to think straight from worry, she may have realised that by irritating Zero, it distracted him from less pleasant thoughts. Then again, Yuuki being Yuuki, she may not have.

"What ungrateful children I raised" huffed Kaien, crossing his arms, but he couldn't help smiling to himself. Yes, his little Yuuki was such a sweet girl just like her mother Juuri, he had watched them before things started taking a more… uneasy turn. Yes, Kaien decided they were all so lucky to have their little 'Gentle Princess'.

---X---

Kaname sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as he lay on the Victorian style lounge. His traitorous thoughts were continually returning to a certain silver haired ex-human. He couldn't stop himself from wondering where Zero was now, what he was doing, worrying if he was alright. Nor could the pureblood stop the memory of the spike of fear for Zero when he found him after Yukio Tokoshima had violated him, just like he couldn't stop himself from feeling overwhelming disgust and hatred towards the council member. How dare that insignificant little maggot violate a student when he knew full well the rules of the school! And to think he had the gall to touch what was _his_! …no wait, bad line of thoughts. He shouldn't be thinking of the ex-human that way! Zero Kiryuu's one and only purpose should be to protect Yuuki! That was why he had given the prefect his blood… even if he had only remembered that afterwards… and even if he had been terrified for the boy's wellbeing… and was still worried sick… and guilty…

Kaname was brought out of his thoughts however, when there was a knock on the door, it was slow, as if the caller was hesitating to disturb him. A human wouldn't have heard it, but to Kaname's vampire hearing it rang loud and clear. Grateful for the distraction from his rather miserable, confusing thoughts, Kaname walked over and opened the door, revealing a rather flustered looking Yuuki who was staring at the floor and holding a leather bundle in her arms. Yuuki's breath caught as the pureblood opened the door, some part of her had desperately hoped that Kaname would simply ignore or not hear her outside his door. Being near the pureblood made her nervous. It was strange how when she was little she would happily run into his arms, stand in his presence and not be the slightest bit disturbed. Nowadays though, she couldn't be near him without the image of his demonic glowing red eyes as he fed from Ruka's neck, nor the fear that it brought with it. Slowly she began to find her safe sanctuary in Zero, and her love for Kaname seemed to be… dwindling over the years? How could that be? But since last night, when she had seen Zero in Kaname's arms, and feeding his blood to the silver haired hunter, the look in Kaname's eyes, a longing protective gleam mingled with a hint of possession… How had Yuuki's feelings had changed dramatically over the course of a few hours? Maybe because she had seen that there seemed to be something between the two most important people in her life that she didn't want to intrude on. Of course, it didn't stop her loving him, it was just… a different kind of love…

"Eh… Kaname-sempai!" she cried slightly startled as she noticed the very object of her thoughts looming over her. To her surprise, as well as Kaname's, Yuuki didn't blush or stutter like she usually did, she was just very nervous and slightly shaken by the events of the previous day. After all, what do you say to somebody who brought your closest friend back after being raped? She held out the bundle. "I brought your coat back, Kaname-sempai, it took a while but I think I got all… I think I got it off…" _All of Zero's blood…_ Kaname reached out and took his coat from Yuuki, smiling softly. Yes good old Yuuki, you could always count on Yuuki to be well- Yuuki. It was typical of the girl to want to bring back his coat on top of all the things she could be doing.

"Thank you Yuuki, but shouldn't you be in class?" Yuuki shuffled her feet slightly.

"Well, yes, but…" _I want to talk about him._ Yuuki's big warm brown eyes delivered the end of the sentence to Kaname. His smile faded slightly as his train of thoughts arrived once again at Zero Kiryuu. He couldn't help the worry that arose at the thought of the hunter, after all, seeing how broken the boy was when Kaname had seen him last…

"How is Kiryuu-kun?" Kaname asked softly. Upon hearing his question, Yuuki's face became a mask of worry.

"Zero is… well, Zero" Yuuki laughed a little despite herself. "He woke up looking like… well _hell_. After that he kicked the Chairman and myself out of his room, got dressed and left the house. He's probably gone off to the paddock to see Lily." Kaname felt a surge of jealousy run through him and mix with the worry, adding to his irritation at feeling this way. Of course he kept his emotions from showing and Yuuki couldn't see how he felt.

"Oh? And just who is Lily?" He asked in what he hoped was a calm voice. Besides he was also curious, what would Zero be doing in the horse fields? Unfortunately Yuuki picked up on the faint traces of irritation in the pureblood's voice and nearly giggled, _nearly_. Looking up into her saviour's mahogany eyes, she could read his emotions clearly. Seeing the jealousy reflected there she was suddenly overcome by the overwhelming desire to tease the vampire. He looked adorable jealous.

"Why, Kaname-sempai? Are you… _jealous_?"

"What!? No! I just want to make sure Kiryuu-kun is alright so I don't have to save him again…"

"Well, Lily is a female, of course. She has lovely long silky, white hair, big dark eyes framed by thick black eyelashes and long white limbs…. Some would say she's quite beautiful, and of course she and Zero have known each other for a _long _time"

"Hn…"

"Kaname-sempai?"

"Yes, Yuuki?"

"White Lilly is a horse"

"Oh" Now Kaname was embarrassed. Jeez, had he just got jealous over a horse? And _Zero_!? How had Yuuki read him so well? Damn that ex-human, since that incident two days ago he hadn't been able to keep himself under control, one of a pureblood's greatest weaknesses. A pureblood vampire who couldn't keep a reign over their emotions was as good as dead, if this kept up he might as well walk up to Zero and ask him to shoot him. Wait a minute… did Yuuki say Kiryuu was with a _horse_!? But herbivores couldn't stand vampires!

"Of course, if you're still worried, we could always go and see Zero…" Yuuki continued, a gleam in her eye. Where had this desire to tease Kaname come from? The pureblood was clearly harbouring _something_ for Zero, shouldn't she feel jealous? Not that she was complaining of course, besides, even if she did end up feeling jealous, she wanted Kaname and Zero to be happy…

"Well… I have something I need to discuss with him"

"Oh… um… Kaname-sempai? Whatever it is… please don't be too hard on him, even though Zero may act tough and he comes across unbreakable, he's very fragile and right now he's hurting. _A lot._" Yuuki's brown eyes were suddenly shiny with the beginnings of tears, her warm chocolate eyes telling Kaname that if he ever did so, Yuuki would not forgive him. That look in her eyes felt something akin to her stabbing him in the heart with a red hot poker. Possibly worse. God, how he longed to tell her that he was no different, no matter how immortal and invulnerable he seemed, underneath he was still a person…

"Don't worry, Yuuki, I won't hurt Zero" he assured her, surprised by the conviction in his own voice.

"Good…." whispered Yuuki, shaking slightly, before the trembling turned into violent shaking, and then Yuuki began crying all the tears that she had left over from yesterday. The image of Zero, broken, bloody and battered shook her to the core. She had never seen him so helpless. She felt Kaname wrap his arms around her and instinctively fell forward, he merely held her and gently stroked her hair as he had when she was little and she was upset. "Why Kaname-sempai? Why did he do that? How could anyone be so cruel!?"

"Some upper class vampires, Yuuki, think that it is perfectly within their rights to take whatever they wish from those whom they consider of lower standing" said Kaname quietly, underneath he was starting to feel that old rage building up inside him. The Kurans, with the exception of one, had never condoned the enslaving of ex-humans.

"L-lower standing?"

"Level C vampires, Humans and Ex-humans"

"But that's horrible! They do that to people!? It- it's _disgusting_!" cried Yuuki, horrified. How could anyone think like that!?

"It is, and that's one of the things the Chairman and I hope to stop using Cross Academy" gently he wiped her tears, smiling gently at her. "So let's go and see if Zero-kun is alright shall we?"

---X---

Zero lay in the horse fields under the shade of a gigantic oak tree, gently stroking White Lilly's long white nose. How strange that of all the people who would be most like him, it would be a horse. He had always visited her when he needed some time to get away from the continuous stress of his impending doom and prefect duties, loosing himself in the continuous brush strokes as he brushed the mare's long white mane.

He closed his eyes and sighed. It was strange that the horse didn't fear him, she clearly feared the… the other vampires… Zero frowned slightly at that thought. He had just included himself amongst the leeches. What was wrong with him lately? _That bastard council member is what's wrong with me_. Zero shuddered as the memories of last night came rushing back to him. The pain, the humiliation, the fear… Suddenly something soft nudged his head. Opening his eyes, Lily nickered quietly at him.

"Well gee, Lily, I'm _so_ sorry if I forgot to turn you into a pampered spoilt brat" he chuckled and continued to pet the horse.

Then there was Kuran, the pureblood had to have a price, there was no way a level A vampire would give a favour to a level D without expecting something in return. Suddenly, Lilly jerked away from his touch.

"Zero!" glancing over her saw Yuuki running over accompanied by none other than Kaname Kuran himself. Zero sighed, _speak of the devil and he shall appear…_ What was the pureblood doing out during the daytime anyway? Upon catching scent of the pureblood, Lily let out an ear splitting cry, reared and galloped away. A few minutes later Yuuki and Kaname had made it across the field to Zero, the former panting for breath.

"Something you wanted?" Zero asked curtly. There went his distraction. Upon hearing his question, Yuuki punched him on the arm.

"Jerk! We were _worried_ about you!"

"Whatever, worry about me when you can actually look after yourself well enough to spare a thought for someone else" Yuuki sent a glare at her 'brother', she was missing broken, bloody, battered Zero already. "Is there a reason you're walking around in broad daylight when all good little vampires should be asleep, Kuran?"

"Aside from escorting Yuuki, yes, I need you to meet me in the Moon Dorm tonight when class changeover is over" Fear shot straight through Zero and he shot up into a sitting position. The look of sheer terror in the ex-human's lavender eyes hurt more than the distrustful look in Yuuki's brown ones. He knew what Zero was afraid of, having the hunter associate him with that _filth_ both shamed and upset him. Yes, Zero was unlikely to ever see vampires as anything more than monsters. Damn Shizuka Hio and the Council of Elders. [That is what the vamp council's called right!?] Kaname sighed. "There is no need to look at me in such a manner, Kiryuu-kun, I do not intend to do anything to you. The very notion repulses me" That was a lie. The thoughts going through Kaname's head right now were making him feel very hot under the collar. Luckily, this time he kept his emotions from showing.

"Whatever, Kuran!" snapped Zero, once again falling behind his mask of anger. Quickly he stood up and stormed away.

"Zero!" cried Yuuki, turning and chasing after her ex-human best friend. Kaname sighed and walked back to the dormitories. Zero would come, he was sure of it.

---X---

Zero sighed and rubbed the back of his head as he glanced up at the towered roof of the Moon Dormitory. Yuuki had been nagging him all day about what Kuran had said, insisting that he went to see what Kaname wanted. So she stooped lower than he ever thought the brunette prefect could go. And now he had to ask himself the question; Was this really worth five servings of shio ramen? But like it or not, Zero Kiryuu wasn't one to go back on his word. _Lousy sense of honour…_

Unfortunately for Zero, the pureblood was waiting for him to ensure that he didn't chicken out.

"Well Kiryuu-kun, I'm glad you decided to show up. Unfortunately to continue this talk, we will need to go to my room," Kaname sighed as he saw Zero's scowl deepen and one hand reach for the Bloody Rose. "No Kiryuu, as I already said, I have absolutely any intentions of doing _that_ to you" _If I can help it._

Watching the pureblood warily, and keeping one hand on his gun while going through a list of hunter spells in his head, Zero followed Kaname up the stairs to his room. Which, Zero added as an afterthought, would have done very nicely for the Queen of England, hell it would even fit all of her goddamn corgis*!

"I see you like my room, Kiryuu-kun" remarked Kaname, after watching the boy stare at his surroundings in awe. Zero looked quite cute when he was surprised, Kaname instantly slapped himself for that thought. Kaname's voice snapped Zero back to reality, and the wide eyed look of amazement was replaced by the usual glare.

"Whatever, Kuran, what do you want!? Tell me quickly so I can get the hell out of here!"

"And endanger the humans of the school?"

"What!?" asked Zero, his glare intensifying (if that's even possible)

"I gave you blood to heal your wounds, but you lost too much blood, I _know_ you are currently under the effects of bloodlust" Zero cursed silently, yes he had been lusting for blood all day, it was hard not to show it, but how the _hell_ had Kuran known!? Suddenly Zero was aware that the pureblood wasn't done speaking. "-As such no blood other than mine will sate your thirst, any other's blood will have no effect on you"

"What!?" Great, just freaking _brilliant_! He couldn't take blood tablets, and now he was well and truly screwed because even Yuuki's blood, much as he hated taking it, wouldn't help him anymore. Why did the pureblood want to see him suffer!? "Wonderful, Kuran! So what - you're just going to sit back and let me go mad right here!?"

"I did not say that" said Kaname quietly.

"What?"

"To remain sane Kiryuu-kun, you must take my blood from now on, otherwise you will fall to level E and endanger the whole school"

"Why the hell would I-" Zero's protest was cut short by Kaname slicing his neck with his long sharp nails, rewarding the pureblood with the sight of the hunter's pale amethyst eyes turning a bright bloody red. And now the only thought currently possessing Zero Kiryuu was the sight of that crimson liquid dripping down that thin, pale… beautiful… inviting neck…

* * *

_*Sometimes I wonder why the queen of __**England**_ _favours a breed of __**Welsh**__ dog. It's confusing… #_#_

_Hee, hee! It's a cliff hanger! Hate me if you will! For I have alienated Yuuki and Kaname! MWAHAHAHA- *goes into violent coughing fit* …ha…_


	5. In too deep

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N:**__ Sooo… Chapter 5. Nice to see everyone!^^ *angry glares from readers* Yes, yes I am so sorry for the cliffie _**and**_ late update. But I've been busy! Sadly reality, exams (and Sims 3 which now has silver hair, and lavender and reddish brown eyes [so very useful for yaoi!] Lol^^) was distracting me. I blame my exams. Hopefully a little something I put in this chapter will make it up to you!^^ Hopefully…-_-' Thankyou to YenGirl for pointing out all my grammar mistakes, If I find the time I promise I'll correct them… When I'm not too busy revising that is! Yes, England and Wales are countries in the UK where I live, and yes I did leave all of you at a cliff-hanger, because I am _**evil**_. And thankyou all my wonderful reviewers! I love you all! 41 reviews! _ Anyway on with the story._

_**NOTE:**__ Anyone who dares complain about Zero being OOC will be slapped! He is __**not**__ out of character! He's __**traumatised**__!_

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* * *

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Chapter Five: In Too Deep

In that short space of time, nothing mattered. Time stood still. Reality vanished. Reason was lost to the void. The only thing that mattered to the two young men kneeling on the floor was the glorious sensation caused by the pure vampiric blood that passed between them. The luxurious room surrounding them ceased to exist as their heartbeats synchronised as one, their minds lost in ecstasy.

While Zero was lost in the heady, sweet crimson nectar that was Kaname's blood, Kaname was still slightly aware of the other's presence. The sensuous movement of the boy's tongue, fangs and soft lips against his skin as he drank down Kaname's blood in barely audible gulps. The closeness of their bodies, and Zero's long slender fingers grasping tightly onto Kaname's shirt, tearing it open slightly. The way their hearts had synchronised to beat as one… It amazed the young pureblood. After all he'd never been bitten before. True, he had allowed Yuuki to take energy from him as a child, but she'd been sealed before she'd needed blood to survive. Even though Kaname had known that being bitten was a pleasurable sensation, he'd never expected it to feel _this_ good!

Unconsciously, Kaname shifted his head to rest on the younger vampire's neck and lifted one hand up to Zero's head, sharply aware of how soft the hunter's silver hair was. Unfortunately, before the pureblood had much time to think much on the texture of Zero's unique hair, Zero jolted backwards- at the same time tearing two large gashes in Kaname's neck. Normally those wounds would have healed immediately, but since when was a scenario where an ex-human took blood from a pureblood considered _normal_? Anyhow, the wounds did not heal.

The second Zero had felt Kuran's fingers in his hair and his warm breath on his neck, Zero had been brought crashing back to painful reality. Though not fully, his mind was torn between the nightmarish living hell of his past: both old and recent, and the dull haze left in his mind from the sheer raw power of Kaname's blood. Was Kuran going to torture and kill him after all? Was that why he'd given him his blood to drug him!? Or…

Did he really have a price?

Zero thought back to that gentle brush of Kaname's fingers in his hair and how close the pureblood had been to his neck. _Oh god…_ The pureblood couldn't mean to- Surely he didn't want to do _that_ to him! No of course he wouldn't! The pureblood loved Yuuki, and he had said he didn't want to do that to him! _But since when does a vampire's word mean anything?_ Kaname Kuran wasn't someone Zero would expect to be gay or bisexual, but then again Zero hadn't expected to be orphaned, had he? He hadn't expected to watch his parents die. He hadn't expected to become a vampire, hadn't expected to be raped… Zero was suddenly very afraid of the pureblood in front of him. Scratch that- he was terrified!

Zero's hand automatically went inside his jacket for his gun… which… wasn't… there… Terror turned to blind panic. Where was the Bloody Rose!? He never left it behind! But… he had lost it when that council member molested him. Zero almost thought he could feel the blood drain out of his face. If Kuran decided to do something to him there would be _nothing_ he could do about it. _Please god no… I can't survive it again…_

Luckily, Kaname wasn't planning on doing anything of the sort to the hunter. Seeing the terror in the boy's lavender eyes felt like being stabbed with a red hot poker to the pureblood. _'Zero may act tough and he comes across as unbreakable, he's very fragile' _Yuuki's words rang in Kaname's head as he looked at the broken boy in front of him. Zero may be back to his usual sarcastic self, but the hunter was nowhere near healed.

"Zero," said Kaname softly, taking a step forward and reaching his hand out towards Zero. He had meant for this to reassure the ex-human, but unfortunately it had the opposite effect. Zero flinched and backed against the wall, before finding his legs wouldn't support him and sliding down it instead. The silver haired teenager stared blankly at the floor. _Please don't…_ he begged Kaname silently. At the same time, he prayed to whatever was out there that wherever his parents were now, they couldn't see him. Couldn't see what had become of him…

Sighing, Kaname ran a hand through his hair.

"Once you feel strong enough to stand, Kiryuu-kun, you should leave and quickly. The others of the Night Class will catch the scent of my blood and will not take kindly to seeing traces of it smeared all over your mouth," _No matter how enticing it makes you look_. Kaname mentally slapped himself for that last thought before continuing, as Zero looked up at the older vampire in disbelief. "The reason you are feeling rather light-headed right now is because your body isn't used to the levels of power it contains." Zero could have sworn he'd seen the pureblood's mahogany eyes soften for a second, but as soon as he blinked, the pureblood's stoic expression was back in place. Kaname's eyes flitted towards the door briefly. "You need to leave, _now_. Go out the window please Kiryuu-kun. I'm not much in the mood for explaining things"

Zero's (rather adorable) confused expression was replaced by his usual glare in response to the pureblood's arrogant answer.

"Whatever, Kuran," he snapped, before getting up and heading towards the window. Glancing down, the concrete ground didn't look that far away, and sure enough, he landed on his feet with all the feline grace of a… well, a vampire. The hunter's lavender eyes hardened further. Great, more freakish vampire powers that moved him even further from his humanity! And why the _hell_ was his chest aching!!? Grumbling, the prefect headed back for his dorm room, unaware of a pair of reddish brown eyes that followed him…

---X---

"Kaname-sama!?!"

Kaname sighed as he heard Aidou's worried voice as the Night Class ran up the stairs. As predicted, the aristocrat vampires had caught the scent of the pure blood lingering in the air and come rushing to investigate. Of course, they would never simply come bursting through the doors into his room. Common vampire etiquette forbade such things. Sometimes Kaname had to wonder what use that was, after all if they couldn't come in to save the pureblood they served (not that it was likely that they would _need_ saving) then how the heck was said pureblood supposed to be protected!? Luckily for Kaname, Seiren and Ichijou had no problems coming into his room, even luckier, Takuma wouldn't breathe a word to anyone, and Seiren wouldn't ask questions _or_ breathe a word if her master told her not to.

"Kaname?"

"Kaname-sama?" Kaname looked over to the doorframe where, as predicted, stood Takuma Ichijou and Seiren. "Should I- _we_ allow the others in, Kaname-sama?" asked Seiren, shooting an irritated glare at the blond vampire. The blue haired noble clearly had some issues allowing Ichijou in Kaname's presence without his permission, but had learnt a long while ago that it was pointless to protest; the blonde would simply barge in _anyway_.

"No thank you Seiren, simply ensure they all return to their rooms without questions. I will be fine" Seiren bowed swiftly and left the room to carry out her appointed task, while Kaname turned away and walked over to the open window, hoping that the remaining visitor would leave. Of course, Ichijou didn't move an inch. Nor did he plan to until he'd found out what had happened to his best friend. After five minutes of awkward silence, Kaname decided that Takuma _once again_ would not be leaving of his own violation. "Takuma?"

"So, what happened to your neck?" asked Ichijou, trying to sound casual.

"Nothing that you need to know about Takuma, just understand that it was for the good of the academy and leave it be"

"Really? And how was that done?" he pressed on, still speaking in a casual manner, but a glint of steel shone behind the cheerful noble's emerald eyes. In response, Kaname merely shot his friend a seemingly expressionless look, that the nobles had come to know as the '_This is what I have decided, and you will stick to it or else_' look. The two vampires stood at opposite ends of the room in this position, without looking away for a while, before Ichijou finally gave in. Clearly, Kaname didn't trust him with this information, as always, which stung. Sighing, he turned and walked out of the room.

Seiren had done her job efficiently, not one Night Class member stood outside of the pureblood's room now. Rubbing the back of his neck, the vice president of the Moon Dorms made his way down the corridor deep in thought.

Kaname never trusted him anymore. True, Kaname trusted him a little more than the other Night Class members, but the pureblood never shared anything with him anymore. Because he was too close to the council, too close to Asato Ichijou… Because of what he had done all those years ago. It had been an accident, Takuma had been young and naive back then, had learnt a valuable lesson that day… But that didn't matter. He had shattered his friend's trust, Kaname forgave him, possibly even liked him, but he didn't trust him.

_I'm sorry, Kaname…_

"Takuma?"

"Uh…" Ichijou froze in the doorframe upon entering the room, before looking away, blushing like mad in embarrassment. "Senri, Rima! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't know you were uh… doing _that_!" Oh god! He could just drop down and die right about now! And not just from embarrassment either. Ichijou hadn't been blind to his two friends' feelings for each other, and it hadn't helped he'd had feelings for both of them either. But there was no reason he should stop them from being together if that made them happy.

"Why?" asked Rima. "Want to join in?"

Takuma started. _Join in?_ What were they implying? And oh dear god- Just _what_ where they doing with that pocky!?

"I-I-"

"I'll take that as a 'yes'" said Shiki, reaching out and dragging the blonde onto the bed. The blonde vampire suddenly found himself sandwiched between the two naked models, who were happily taking his clothes off. Shiki was behind him, Rima in front of him. What made him all the more nervous was the fact that he was a virgin. When Takuma had envisioned his first time, he had imagined it with both Shiki, and then Rima, but he'd never expected a _threesome_! And yes, his body was reacting as well. _God, if you exist… What the hell are you doing to me!?!_

"Uh, guys what are you- Ahh!" As soon as the blonde noble's pants had been removed (not quick enough for the other two), Takuma found himself caught between pain and pleasure from the two models.

"We found that we both liked each other, but we both liked you too-" started Shiki.

"-So we decided to share" finished Rima.

"But how did you did you know that I liked you guys too?"

"Because you're too easy to read" they said simultaneously.

"AHH!!! Rimaaaa! Senriiiiiiii!"

---X---

Zero's eyes widened as he was pinned to the huge four poster bed behind him.

"W-what are you doing!?" The grin on the raven haired pureblood was _worrying_ him! What the hell did the pureblood have in mind!? Kaname merely grinned at him.

"Hush now, you'll see…"

"See what-!? _Kuran!_" The hunter shot a glare at Kaname as his shirt was ripped off, exposing his bare chest. Mischief filled mahogany eyes gazed into a set of lavender ones that promised to kill a certain pureblood who had destroyed his school uniform. That look was quickly cleared out of the boy's eyes, as said pureblood began to tease Zero's sensitive bite area, quickly covering the prefects world in a haze of pleasure and lust. What the-?

Smirking, Kaname let his hand trail to the waistline of the hunter's trousers, earning him a warning glare from the silver haired prefect, which was quickly replaced with a look of shock and a small yelp, which was followed by a low moan of pleasure as the pureblood ran his fingers along the hunter's hardening length.

"Ah!!!" Using his mind, Kaname pulled the rest of their clothes off, and inserted one of the fingers of his spare hand into the hunter's entrance, making him shift a little uncomfortably. He then proceeded to insert another finger, skilfully prepping the hunter.

Zero looked up in faint alarm as he felt something _else_ near his stretched opening.

"W-what are you doing?"

Kaname's answer was to push himself into Zero, making the younger boy yelp. _Damn, that hurt!_ Gently, the pureblood ran his fingers through the hunter's silver hair. God, the boy felt so damn _good_ to be inside of! Meanwhile Zero was doing his best to send the brunette vampire a glare, which was hard seeing as he was confused, and Kaname hadn't relinquished his grip on Zero's member. After a few more torturous moments of waiting for Zero to adjust, Kaname began to move again, going deeper and faster until he hit the ex-human's prostate, making him cry out in pleasure.

Happy that he'd found the hunter's spot, Kaname withdrew and slammed into the prefect again, and again, until he was rewarded by Zero's release.

"_Kaname!_"

Kaname followed immediately when the ex-human's walls closed on his length, and then-

-Kaname Kuran woke up.

---X---

Kaname sat up on his bed, panting. He was covered in sweat and suspiciously wet and sticky…

Oh god, please say he hadn't! Pulling back the crimson satin covers, it was affirmed that yes he had. The brunette groaned and fell back on his pillow. This was both embarrassing and completely degrading! He, Kaname Kuran, a pureblood from the purest of the vampire bloodlines, had had a sexual dream about Zero Kiryuu, a moody, angst-ridden, traumatised, ex-human vampire hunter! This should not be happening!

Sighing, Kaname got up and quickly changed his clothes and put the dirty sheets and pyjamas in the washing basket. How the hell was he _ever_ going to look Zero Kiryuu in the eye ever again? He shouldn't be thinking about the hunter like that, he should _never_ dream about him like that, and he _should certainly not be disappointed about not being able to do that to the hunter in reality!!!_

"Damn you, traitorous thoughts…" he muttered. It wasn't as if he'd ever get the chance to do that to Zero, not with the way the boy responded to the simplest of touches. Scratch that- how he reacted to the pureblood's presence, full stop. Kaname ran his hand through his hair in agitation. His life was _so_ badly screwed up.

---X---

Zero and Yuuki walked out of class, the later babbling at Zero about something or other, while the former was miles away. Zero had something on his mind, and it wasn't just the monster who had assaulted him. It was that goddamned pureblood. The hunter couldn't stop his thoughts going back to that night when the older vampire made him drink his blood. Particularly the blood drinking part. Kaname's blood had been so thick, warm and rich… he wasn't sure _what_ the flavour was but it made him think of something… floral?

If Zero hadn't been Zero, he would have laughed. Kaname Kuran, the holier-than-thou pureblood prince, tasted of _flowers_!? Of course, even if Zero hadn't let his sense of humour die with his family, he wouldn't have been much in the mood to laugh. Zero was brought out of his constant musings by a hard punch in his arm.

"Are you listening to me, you jerk!?" shouted Yuuki. It was very easy in their relationship, for the school guardians to swap between being worried about each other, to fighting, then being concerned again. As Yori had said to Yuuki, at least they function like a family… what with the attempting to kill each other while protecting each other thing. Of course, saying that had just confused Yuuki, so Yori gave up.

Zero merely shot Yuuki a glare and kept walking. He was dreading seeing Kuran at class changeover, he was certain that the pureblood would flash him one of those smug smirks again, which always made Zero want to punch the smirk right off of his smug, gorgeous little face! Wait, what!? _Gorgeous_!? Had he thought that!? Zero shook his head. He _must_ be going mad.

At class changeover though, Zero was surprised to discover that Kaname did not look his way _at all_. Not _once_! And for some reason he couldn't begin to fathom, that annoyed and upset the hunter. He watched with narrowed eyes as the pureblood walked over to Yuuki and began to speak to her, making her blush, all the while with his back facing Zero. After five minutes of watching them talk, Zero decided to intervene.

"Kuran, get to class!" Kaname closed his eyes as he heard the male prefect speak, remembering how the boy had sounded in his dream, his lusty cry as he called out the pureblood's name when he- _No! Do not think about that!_ He reprimanded himself. He then became slightly angry. There was no way he should be afraid of the hunter, _just_ because of one stupid dream! No matter how badly embarrassing it was! Looking the hunter in the eye was hardly going to do anything to him!

Turning around, mahogany eyes met lavender for the briefest of seconds. That briefest of seconds conveying something that neither males were ready to understand.

"Of course, Kiryuu-kun," Kaname turned and followed a very tired looking Takuma Ichijou and two very smug looking models. He's thought that he could walk away from the hunter just fine, he was wrong. Damnit!

"Zero?" asked Yuuki, staring at her companion. But Zero didn't respond. He'd just remembered what Kaname's blood tasted like: roses, orchids and vanilla. But more memories had just joined in, the pureblood's individual scent, the closeness of their bodies, the soft supple skin of the vampire's pale neck… Shit.

Kaname and Zero had discovered they had yet another thing in common, whether they knew it or not: They were both in way over their heads.

* * *

_*cringes at crap lemon* I apologize for my god awful dream lemon. You may shoot me now. I have no idea __**where**__ the ShikixTakumaxRima lemon came from, that just… happened…_

_You may review, just don't torture me!_


	6. Accidents Happen

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N:**__ Heya! I was planning on doing a little more work this week, but Kaname and Zero ate my revision notes!^^ - Er, no. Not the characters, though that'd be cool [e.g. Kana-chan! Zerorin! Come here and eat my homework!!^^ lol XD]. I mean my pets! Kaname and Zero are my puppies and Yuuki's my personal plot bunny!^^ Yeah, I am a sad, sad person who names her animals after VK characters… who I talk to… I am pathetic…-_-' Anyway/ I am introducing a main OC to the story at the end of this chapter, I hope you like them because they're going to have an impact on the story! And don't panic, they won't upset the delicate relationship that will form between our two lovelies!^^ Though they will have a connection to them… (Bets everyone will guess it a mile off!)_

_By the way, a lot of people claimed the last chapter was too short. This chapter's 4683 words!!! I don't type that much for school essays!!! _

_(And if I hear one complaint about the length I'll kill you because my fingers nearly fell off typing it!!! _TT-TT *owchie*_)_

* * *

Chapter Six: Accidents Happen

Yuuki yawned and blearily opened her eyes, sleepily taking in her surroundings.

"Oh," she said sleepily, to nobody in particular. "It's dusk…" After a few seconds, what she had just said sank into her brain. "Oh my god! It's dusk!" She screamed sitting bolt upright. Why hadn't Yori woken her up!? Why hadn't Zero come to call!? What where the fangirls doing without the guardians to stop them!? How could they let her sleep in!?

Jumping up and rushing into her school uniform, she bolted out of the Girls Dormitory…

…and ran straight into Zero. Looking up at her partner, she couldn't help but notice that; a) he wasn't at the Moon Dorm gates, and b) He wasn't in school uniform.

"Zero!? Why aren't you in school uniform!?" Yuuki began to panic (even more… if that was even possible). What if Zero was trying to run away again!? He raised one eyebrow at her, giving her the look that she had named his '_Smarter-than-thou_' look.

"I think you'll find the question is Yuuki, why are you in uniform?"

"Huh?"

"I take it that you've forgotten that it's Saturday… _again,_" The expression on the small brunette prefect's face told Zero his assumption was correct. In fact, looking his foster sister up and down, he realised that she had her jacket on back to front and a sock on her hand, not to mention odd shoes. The hunter had to repress a smile, how very… Yuuki.

Suddenly, Yuuki's embarrassed look turned into a wide grin.

"That means that it's errand day!" she cried happily. To Yuuki, it meant a chance to get out of school, a day out in the town, clothes shopping and above all else; Ice cream!!! Yuuki's inner-self did a happy dance. Oh she could just see it now… six scoops of ice-cream - chocolate, vanilla, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, coffee and raspberry ripple, all topped off with rich, hot chocolate fudge sauce, two wafers and crushed hazelnuts… While imagining this, Yuuki had started to drool.

To Zero, however, it meant being used as a pack mule, heavy bags full of groceries, Yuki trying to choose his clothes for him, being treated like a kid by a girl who was a year younger than him, and listening to Yuuki making careless remarks, that to Zero, were hurtful… and then there was the goddamned ice cream… Yuuki would drag him to the ice-cream parlour and use _his _money to buy the most expensive ice-cream there. Then on the way home, he had to carry not only the groceries and Yuuki's new wardrobe, but Yuuki herself, who by then, would be complaining of a stomach ache, and completely unable to walk.

"Zero!" cried Yuuki, waving her hand and bringing the silver haired prefect out of his gloomy thoughts. "I'm gonna go get changed, OK? I mean I can't exactly go out… er… dressed like _this_" She gestured to her messy uniform.

"Ugh… whatever… Just don't take forever" he groaned. Knowing that Yuuki _would_ take forever just to decide what socks she would wear. After narrowing it down to two pairs, she would spend another two hours deciding which pair she should wear. Zero was vaguely aware of Yuuki grabbing his sleeve and dragging him along to the Chairman's house, where she kept her normal clothes. Over the past four years of knowing the girl, this was what Zero had come to expect.

What Zero didn't expect was to see Kaname Kuran sitting on the sofa in the Chairman's lounge. Momentarily taken aback, Zero cursed his luck. It had been a week since the hunter had taken blood from the pureblood vampire. It was an awkward feeling, remembering that he'd bitten the older vampire, and he didn't understand _why_. Either way, Zero had gone out on his way to avoid the other vampire and it seemed that Kaname had too, because Zero never saw the pureblood at class changeover.

"Kaname-sempai!? What are you doing here?" asked Yuuki, spotting the pureblood. Glancing up, he greeted Yuuki with a small smile, mahogany orbs flickering from Yuuki to Zero, then back to Yuuki in less than a second. Seeing the silver haired prefect again was inevitable, Kaname knew, but he had desperately tried to keep as much distance between himself and the prefect as possible. The pureblood wasn't sure which was worse, his childhood nightmares, or his dreams of Zero.

"I need to pick something up from the Chairman, Yuuki," he explained. In fact, Kaname had come to pick up were blood tablets. But not the Night Class' tablets, they wouldn't work for the pureblood, in fact his body was likely to reject them, much like Zero's body did. The fact that the ex-human could not ingest the blood tablets had brought up a debate about whether or not the blood tablet's efficiency relied on the level of blood purity in the vampires in question. So Kaname had his own tablets specially made.

The pureblood currently hoped that the school guardians hadn't noticed how tense he was behaving. Unfortunately, they both did. For some reason he couldn't understand, the way Kaname seemed to be purposely ignoring him was driving Zero _mental._ It had never bothered the hunter that Kaname never paid attention to him before. In fact, most of the time Zero just wished that the pureblood would disappear. Now it annoyed him that the vampire was never around. What was _wrong_ with him lately!? Yuuki too, had noticed the atmosphere between the two boys, and her female intuition was telling her it was a form of sexual tension. The female brunette frowned slightly at that thought. Could it possibly be that the two most important guys in her life, quite possibly… liked each other?

"Well, I'm going to go and get ready to go into town!" said Yuuki cheerfully, making her way up the stairs, while feeling the inexplicable urge to ensure the boys got as much alone time as possible- _together_. "Try not to kill each other!" Both males mentally groaned at the idea of spending a vast amount of time with the one person they'd spent the last week trying to avoid. For a quarter of an hour, Kaname spent his time focusing on everything that was not Zero Kiryuu, while Zero spent his time trying to pretend it didn't bother him that Kaname was ignoring him.

Eventually, Yuuki came down the stairs with Kaien in tow. With a cheerful greeting, the ex-hunter handed the shopping list to Zero, before turning to face Kaname with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry Kaname, but there _are_ no more left, luckily I think the chemist I get the shipments from has restocked," he said. The reason the blood tablets were received through a local chemist, was because said chemist was a vampire, a common vampire to be exact. Level C's were exceptionally common, in fact about thirty five to forty percent of the supposed 'human' community, was entirely made up of level C's. Chances are, if you have a friend, or know somebody who likes to stay out of the sun, they're a level C vampire. "I could always send Yuuki and Zero to pick them up for you!"

"Like hell we will!" yelled Zero, before Yuuki elbowed him to shut him up.

"We'd be happy to help you out, Kaname-sempai!" Kaname had to smile at the girl's eagerness to help. Yuuki was such a sweet little girl, she always had been from the day she was born.

"That's alright, Yuuki, I am perfectly capable of getting my own supplies, there is no need to strain yourself for me," he said, causing Yuuki to blush. Kaname was always so, so… _sweet_ to her! Sometimes the prefect wondered if she would ever hold a conversation with the pureblood that didn't involve her face looking like a tomato!

"Well then, you can all go to town together!" cried the Chairman happily. "It will be a wonderful excuse to put the coexistence to the test once again!" After a brief period of chaos, with Zero trying to kill Kaien, while Yuuki restrained Zero, yelling at both males, while Kaien yelled protests in his defence and Zero yelled back at Yuuki. Kaname meanwhile, merely looked on with a faintly amused expression.

Humans could be so weird.

---X---

After five minutes of screaming and yelling, Zero finally stopped struggling against Yuuki and resentfully agreed to go to town with Kaname and Yuuki, for 'Yuuki's protection'. After Yuuki let him go, Zero promptly broke Kaien's nose. And so it was that the hunter, human and pureblood walked down the street at eight o'clock at night in the pouring rain, to go errand shopping.

Zero was _not_ impressed, Yuuki was ecstatic, and Kaname wasn't in the best of moods either. His reluctance to be near anything that reminded him of Zero over the last week had kept him away from anything that even smelt of the hunter, meaning that he hadn't seen Kaien about his blood tablets either. And damnit, he was _hungry_! The pureblood had to keep his eyes well away from anyone's necks. Luckily, there weren't many people outside. Unluckily, the two people who were there were Yuuki and Zero, neither of which Kaname could afford to lose control with. Biting Yuuki would awaken her and put her in grave danger, while biting Zero would cause a blood bond, something that Kaname definitely did not need!

"Wow, the town looks so dead at night!" said Yuuki, glancing around at the normally thriving market place. Only a handful of stores were open now and the brunette thanked her lucky stars that the ones they needed to visit were open. But what concerned her the most was the ice-cream parlour, and- yes! Yes it was open! "But the ice cream parlour is very much alive! Yay! Ice-cream!" _Five scoops - mint, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, with sauce, and wavers, and-_ Yuuki was brought out of her delicious daydream by a low groan.

Glancing up at Zero, she suddenly remembered that her companion didn't like sweet things. Remembering the horrific events that occurred a week ago, Yuuki was filled with guilt for not considering what Zero wanted, and made a mental note to get him some shio ramen.

"So, where are we going first? Groceries, clothes or chemist? …er, Kaname-sempai?"

"Yes, Yuuki?"

"Why are we going to the chemist?" Zero rolled his eyes at her ridiculous question.

"To pick up some cough medicine!!"

"Really?"

"Yes!!"

"The Night Class students have the flu!?"

"No! You idiot! That was sarcasm! He's going to pick up some blood tablets, you fool!" Yuuki responded by punching Zero on the arm repeatedly.

"There's no need to take that tone, you jerk!" she shrieked. Both of them temporarily forgot the pureblood who was staring at them, as they went through their charming daily sibling routine of trying to murder one another. After several minutes of that, Yuuki remembered who was with them. Blushing so much it made her look like a traffic light, Yuuki apologized to Kaname, who (as always) smiled and told her that was perfectly aright.

After a bit of arguing about which shops they should visit first, it was decided that they would buy the groceries first, then clothes and then the chemist. Yuuki had insisted that they see to Kaname's needs first, and Zero agreed to this on the grounds that he had no wish to be travelling with a hungry pureblood, but of course Kaname being the well brought up, polite gentleman he was, placed his needs behind the other's.

Actually, now that he thought about it, Kaname was rather enjoying himself. The pureblood rarely had any leisure time to spend, let alone with Yuuki and- No, he should not be including Zero in _anything_ that would count as an enjoyable experience! Of course, there would be hell to pay with Seiren. She wouldn't speak against him, but there was this look his bodyguard would get in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking, that reminded him of a mother reprimanding her child. It was irritating to Kaname, and it played hell with his instincts to see a noble was questioning a pureblood's actions.

But still, the young pureblood found it quite amusing to gain an insight into the everyday lives of the school guardians. Like the fact that Yuuki seemed to treat Zero as a cross between a four year old child, and a pack mule, while Zero seemed to favour loose clothes, something that Kaname himself could understand*.

Even Zero was enjoying himself slightly. The rain was pleasantly light, it was almost quiet, and if you ignored the pureblood behind him, there were no vampires! Heaven. Of course, what Zero was probably better off not knowing was that the reason for his good mood was partly due to it being nighttime. Because the ex-human's vampire nature was naturally attuned to the night.

Yuuki however, was purely over the moon with excitement. Here she was in town, spending time with her two favourite people in the whole world, _clothes shopping_!!! Life could not get any better for her… especially when Kaname bought her half the store! Yuuki had always loved those shoes… of course she had refused at first, blushing like a maniac, she insisted that Kaname didn't need to get her these lovely things, she could just save up for them. But of course, Kaname couldn't deny Yuuki anything she wanted, and so the three left the shop with Zero almost crawling beneath the weight of the new clothes. The male prefect decided that the term 'Yuuki's brand new wardrobe' was a good way to put it! Kuran was _never_ coming shopping with them _ever_ again!

Of course the fun couldn't last and when Yuuki decided to visit a book store, Kaname had to make an emergency run to the alley. When he got to the dead end right at the back of the alley, he stopped. Turning his back to the wall, he slid down it and sat in the corner, gasping for breath. Damn, this was the worst time possible to sink into bloodlust. The chemist was right on the other side of town! He could only hope to god that Zero hadn't seen him, and if he had, wouldn't decide to follow him.

"Kuran! What the hell are you doing!?" Damn! That dashed _that_ hope straightaway. The whole reason he was back here was the ex-human's fault! Zero's hair was too short to fully cover his neck, making it hard to avoid looking at the boy's pale, inviting, _beautiful_- Kaname gritted his teeth, fangs cutting into his lower lip. He could _not_ afford to go down that line of thought! The wind had blown a few strands of silver hair away from the hunter's neck, fully revealing his neck and pulse. That was when Kaname's control had nearly snapped.

Zero glared warily over to where the pureblood was hunched in the corner of the alley, trembling and drawing in shaking breaths. If Zero didn't know better, he'd think that the pureblood was having a bloodlust fit. Unfortunately, the hunter had his focus fully centred on the pureblood and didn't notice the broken glass jutting out from the wrecked window he was walking past.

The silver haired prefect cursed quietly, there'd be problems if the smell of blood attracted a level E. Yuuki and the Artemis rod were in the book store, and he didn't have Bloody Rose, or any other anti-vampire weapon with him. Of course, Zero couldn't possibly have realised just how much danger he was in.

Because the second Zero's blood hit the air, Kaname's instincts went wild.

Before the prefect had any idea what was happening, he found himself slammed into a brick wall, unable to move, while Kaname's warm body pressed against him. Fear, panic, and anger surged through Zero, as well as… something else…?

Before Zero had much time to think about it, he felt the familiar sensation of something hot, slimy and wet run across his neck, across his jugular vein…

"K-Kuran!? W-what are you doing!?" As if in answer to his question, Kaname plunged his fangs into the boy's neck, moaning slightly as the boy's warm blood ran down the back of his throat, quenching his thirst. Zero's blood tasted so… _good_… The hunter's blood was even better fresh, an indescribable flavour, that had the familiar tang of something that just escaped Kaname's mind at the moment. Nobody's blood had ever satisfied Kaname's thirst for blood quite like Zero's blood did. But there was something else in the hunter's blood. His emotions; pain, despair, hatred for Shizuka Hio, anger, his unconditional love for Yuuki, and-

-_Fear_.

Kaname focused his attention on what his senses had been screaming at him for however long he'd been standing there. As he paid attention to the world around him, he was suddenly sharply aware of Zero's presence. His scent, the feel of the soft skin of his neck pulsing rapidly beneath Kaname's lips, the sharp little intakes of breaths, the slight trembling that coursed through the boy's body as he whimpered slightly… the smell of salt.

Zero was crying.

Kaname felt a pang of guilt yet again. It seemed he was forever going to be wallowing in guilt due to this ex-human. Gently, the pureblood licked the twin puncture wounds that _his_ fangs had made, urging them to close. Glancing up, Kaname saw that the boy's eyes were somewhat vacant- Zero had gone into shock. Then the sound of Yuuki's voice reached his ears.

"Zero!? Kaname-sempai!? Guys!? Where are you!? Hello!?!"

Damn it, that was not good! Yuuki couldn't see this, and Zero shouldn't be left in the state he was in. Gently brushing Zero's fringe out of his eyes, Kaname laid a hand on the hunter's forehead and wiped his memories, before placing him carefully on the floor.

In a matter of seconds, Zero's lavender eyes flickered open, a slightly confused expression on his face. How had he gotten from outside the store waiting for Yuuki to lying on the floor in an alley? Kaname however, inwardly sighed in relief. Zero was alright, he hadn't drained the hunter too far.

"What the- Kuran! What the hell did you just do to me!? Why the hell are we sitting in the middle of an alley!?" Sadly, that meant the hunter was as irritating as ever.

"I don't know Kiryuu-kun, perhaps you can tell me. After all, you were the one who ran straight into the alley, tripped over a trash can, fell flat on your face and knocked yourself unconscious." Replied Kaname coolly, rapidly making up an excuse. After all, he could hardly tell the hunter, '_Well, I bit you, drank your blood, created a blood bond between us and sent you into shock, then violated your mind by wiping your memories'_. Yeah, sure _that'd_ go down well! It was just as well Kaname could take blood without leaving a trace of it anywhere. In response to Kaname's answer, Zero's face twisted into a glare.

That stupid pureblood was trying to make it sound like he was some clumsy idiot, which he _wasn't_!

"I-"

"Kaname-semapai! Zero! There you are! Where have you been!?" Glancing up, the two boys realised that Yuuki had found them. The female brunette was halfway between bewildered and irritated. Why on earth did everyone decide to wander off on her!? She would have made them come into the store with her, but she didn't want the boys to see what she'd bought. It was something that had come into her head when she was getting ready to go out.

"Uh…"

"Ah, whatever! Honestly Zero, I hope you weren't picking a fight with Kaname-sempai again!"

"_What_!? Me!? _He's_ the one who picks fights with _me_!!!" Protested Zero. God, this was so unfair. Why was _everyone_ against him? What on earth did he do!?

"Eh, whatever. Let's get to the chemist's and pick up your blood tablets, shall we, Kaname-sempai?" Kaname nodded with a slight smile. But underneath his cool exterior he cringed, he didn't _need_ the tablets anymore, he'd just taken all the blood he needed from Zero. But of course it would look suspicious if he didn't go to pick up his pills. So off they went.

Inside the chemist's was dark, and rather cold. When the chemist saw Kaname enter, his dark grey eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, and he gave a deep bow.

"K-Kuran-sama!!! It- I am most honoured- _deeply honoured_! To have your almighty presence grace my humble shop!!!" Indeed the level C had most likely never _seen_ a pureblood in his life let alone have one in his store to _purchase his goods_, but of course, evryone knew who the Kurans were. Ha! Just wait till that big headed idiot who owned the local blood bank heard about _this_!

Kaname kept his face impassive while he greeted the medical merchant, while resisting the urge to roll his eyes. The way every vampire responded to his presence, was something the pureblood prince found positively tedious.

Yuuki meanwhile stared around with an expression that was a mixture of amazement and fear, while Zero leaned by the doorway, eager to get away from both the bitter scent of medicine, and the idiotic common vampire who was as always, slavering over the pureblood like he was some sort of god, which he was _not_, the devil perhaps, but not God.

Eventually, much to the relief of all three of them, (and the disappointment of the chemist, who had wanted his wife to see this most _wonderful_ moment) they exited the store. Instead of heading to the ice-cream parlour like Zero had expected, Yuuki decided to go to a restaurant and ordered Shio Ramen for Zero, remembering how he had complained he wanted it last time. Kaname decided not to have anything so the two took amusement in watching Zero wolf down the ramen.

"And you say _I_ eat fast?" asked Yuuki, eying her silver haired companion critically.

"Shut up!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"You shut up!"

"Make me!" In response to that comment, Yuuki picked up her spoon and prepared to flick a glob of ice-cream at the hunter. Kaname, sensing a food fight arising, quickly intervened.

"Maybe we should all just eat in silence?"

"OK, if you say so, Kaname-sempai!"

"Bah!"

---X---

When the prefects returned to Cross Academy, it was early morning, and all three were covered in noodles and ice-cream. Eventually, not even Kaname could stop Zero Kiryuu and Yuuki Cross from throwing food at each other, and now the two were banned from the restaurant. Altogether it had been a rather eventful night, and one of the best days of Kaname's life, minus that accident. Kaname had a horrible feeling that _little_ slip up was going to come back and bite him on the backside.

Entering the Chairman's house, the three were surprised to see that the Chairman had a guest; A young woman with long dark brown hair and lavender eyes, she was about a head taller than Yuuki, and was wearing a Night Class uniform.

"Ah! Yuuki, Zero, Kaname-san, this is Sakura Mikage, she'll be joining the Night Class" Sakura gave a low bow, before looking up and speaking in a monotone voice.

"Greetings, Kaname-sama, and to you, Cross-chan, Kiryuu-kun," and when she looked up, Kaname could see one thing in her eyes that sent off alarm bells in his head. One thing he knew for certain; _This girl could not be trusted_.

---X---

Meanwhile, somewhere nearby a young female vampire lay on the ground, a knife sticking in her back, while her blood gushed from her body, staining the earth dark red. Violet eyes opened in pain, peering out through blue locks.

"I'm sorry, I failed you… Kaname-sama…" she whispered, and then her eyes closed, as several cloaked figures closed in on her unconscious form

* * *

_* Seriously, you can tell Kaname is a teenager! He has messy clothes, his hair is messy (yet cool!^^) and he slouches! __**Slouches!**__ Just like a lazy little-! AH! 0-0 I mean he reclines in his seat just like the elegant young man we all know he is! Right, Kaname-sama!?! Heh-heh…^^; Remember to review! Bye, bye! *runs like hell from angry pureblood*_


	7. I Spy

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N:**__ Hi!^^; sorry I haven't been online for so long, but I was (and still am) sick. Luckily I have a laptop now, so I can type this even though my loving family members/slaves won't allow me to get out of bed, for fear of my health!_

_Virtual cookies to those who reviewed (You guys give me the motivation I need to continue!^^), and I'll send (invisible) pocky to those that review this chapter!^^ (NOTE: If pocky cannot be found within three days, please do not attempt to receive a refund. lol)_

_And __**Sakura is only going to be a brief character with no connection to the other characters. I was going to make her a main OC, but instead she's just going to be here for a few chapters, you may hate her as much as you like.**_

* * *

Chapter Seven: I Spy

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sakura-san!" said Yuuki, giving the vampire a cheerful smile. The vampire blinked a few times. Sakura was used to receiving emotionless glances like the ones the two males were giving her, but nobody had ever _smiled_ at her. Damn, she should have listened to the advice she was given; this place really was new territory.

"Likewise, Cross-san"

"Call me Yuuki!" chirped the human girl happily.

"Uh… if you wish… Yuuki…" The vampire's confusion earned her a snort from Zero, earning the hunter a glare, which he returned in kind. While the aristocrat and ex-human vampire were locked in 'battle', the other three were glancing between them.

"Yes, well," Kaien cleared his throat "Kaname, Zero, why don't you two escort Sakura-chan to the Moon Dormitory?"

"What!? Why me!?" Zero protested. Why on Earth did _he_ have to escort the new leech? He had a hard enough time babysitting the other leeches as it was… worse, he had to spend extra time with Kaname, and Zero had seen quite enough of the pureblood for a whole century!

"Because it's common courtesy for young men to escort young ladies, besides Yuuki and I have something to discuss," the Chairman replied in a matter of fact tone, before grinning, pushing them out of the front door, waving childishly, and calling, "Now of you go, play nicely kiddies and don't fight!"He then slammed the door shut.

"K-kiddies…? What the-? Kaname-sama, is the Chairman… _all there_?" asked Sakura, looking rather bemused, and slightly insulted. Kaname sighed before turning to face the aristocrat.

"I highly doubt it, Mikage-san, try not to slow us down, Zero." The female brunette nodded and the three walked towards the Moon Dormitory in complete silence. Well, until Zero noticed a little detail he'd missed out during the conversation they'd just had.

"Kuran!" yelled Zero. Kaname sighed and turned his head slightly towards the hunter without quite looking at him.

"Yes, Kiryuu-kun?"

"You just called me by my first name!" Kaname only just managed to keep his face impassive. Damn it, how many times could he slip up with the hunter in one night!?

"I think you will find I did not call you by your first name, Kiryuu-kun, perhaps you need your hearing tested. You did hit your head rather hard when you tripped…" The pureblood felt a spike of guilt run through him as the words left his mouth. It was completely unfair to use that excuse, but he could hardly tell the hunter what had really happened. Zero was better off in the dark.

The prefect merely scowled and the three vampires kept walking in silence. It wasn't a comfortable silence, Kaname wasn't comfortable being next to a strange noble he didn't know and didn't trust, and a Vampire Hunter/Ex-human vampire, who wanted to kill him, and who just happened to be blood bonded to him. Zero meanwhile, was irritated by the fact that he seemed even more aware of the pureblood's presence than normal. Sakura merely kept silent and surveyed her surroundings.

All three mentally sighed in relief when they arrived at the Moon Dorm. Turning on his heel, Zero walked away from the two vampires without saying a word. Kaname watched him leave for a few moments, before holding the door open for the aristocrat. As his parents had once told him when his parents had invited his uncle over one time before Yuuki was born, just because you dislike or distrust someone, there's no reason to forget your manners. Then again, Juuri and Haruka had both been _killed_ by Rido…

"My thanks, Kaname-sama," said the girl, curtsying briefly and walking in, attracting stares from all the students in the main hall/lounge/whatever the heck the lobby thingy is in the Moon Dorm*. Spotting the newcomer with Kaname, Takuma stood up and walked towards them, smiling in a friendly manner.

"This is Takuma Ichijou, the vice dorm president," said Kaname. "This is Sakura Mikage." The blonde smiled, before tilting his head to the side and looking confused.

"Say, you look familiar, have I seen you before?" The female brunette gave a too sweet smile and shook her head.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken Ichijou-san."

"Oh well, nice to meet you, Sakura-chan! Come on, I'll show you to your room," said the grinning blonde as he lead the girl up the stairs, while Kaname watched their retreating backs. "You'll be sharing a room with Seiren, she doesn't say much but she's not too bad… just don't crack any jokes!"

"That's OK Ichijou-san, I like silence…" said Sakura, smiling. Takuma returned the smile nervously. That girl had one hell of a scary smile… then they stopped outside a room near Kaname's room and Takuma and Shiki's room.

"Well here we are…"

"Thank you…" said Sakura, still smiling creepily. Takuma almost jumped a mile backwards when she walked right up to him, backing him up to a nearby door. "You're a really nice person Takuma-san…"

"Er… Ichijou is fine… _really_!" he spoke rapidly, breaking into a sweat as the brunette's lips moved closer to his, and reminding himself that he had been raised not to hit girls, no matter how much this girl needed a good shove. Luckily, the door he was pressed up against was the door to his room, and before their lips met, the door was swung open, and a hand dragged the blonde inside. Periwinkle blue eyes shot the girl a glare, before the door was slammed shut.

As soon as his mind processed what had happened, Takuma jumped up and hugged his boyfriend.

"Senri! I love you!" he cried. Relationship aside, how could you _not _love the person who had saved you from getting molested? In reply to the hug, Shiki began to nibble on the blonde's neck. Sakura was already forgotten by the two, thanks to Shiki's one track mind.

"Takumaaaa…. I'm bored and Rima's on a photo shoot…" Ichijou laughed.

"Senri, when are you not bored…?"

Meanwhile, the newcomer turned around and entered her room. How on earth could that boy be Ichiou's heir!? Glancing at the empty bed in the room, Sakura wondered if Kaname Kuran had worked out that his bodyguard was missing. If he hadn't yet, he would soon. The only remaining question…

…had he worked out who _she_ was…?

---X---

Slowly, a pair of violet eyes opened, glancing around groggily. Groaning, Seiren looked around herself. She was in an underground chamber of some sort, she could tell from the darkness and the damp, dead atmosphere. There were a lot of metal bars and chains around the room. She could tell that a vampire had brought her here, there was no way a human would be able to see in this darkness… or take her down so easily.

She gritted her teeth as she remembered the attack.

---X---

_Seiren stood behind a tree observing the four men… no, three. One was a girl, about an inch shorter than herself, she seemed to be carrying a child in her arms. If Seiren had been anyone else, she would have been curious, but as it was, she took no interest in the people before her, she was watching them because Kaname-sama told her to. Tilting her head, she listened to the conversation._

"…_so I will be there, at Cross Academy, and my mission is to be?" this was the girl speaking, but strangely, she was not looking at the men before her, but at the child in her arms._

"_You are to watch him, while these three guard your back, possibly taking a hostage for information," said a voice, a child's voice. But there was something in that voice that sent chills down the lilac haired vampire's spine, how could any child's voice be so cold?_

"_And if the plan doesn't work, master…?"_

"_Kill Kaname Kuran, and bring me his blood, Masako. And do _not _fail me."_

"_Of course, master…" replied the girl addressed as Masako._

_Seiren bristled as she heard those words. How dare these fools even _think_ of harming her master!? Of spying on him, or spilling and taking his pure blood!? How _dare_ they!?!_

_She was caught off guard however when the child stiffened._

"_Somebody is listening in on our conversation," it said. "You three take care of the spy, you know what to do. Masako, take me to the car, then head for the Academy, I am leaving…"_

"_Yes, master," came the reply. The girl and the child walked away, while the three men headed towards where Seiren was hidden. Damnit, she needed to get away! Turning around, she only narrowly dodged a fist that came flying towards her. Somersaulting over her attacker, she kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold, before landing gracefully on both feet. Unfortunately the other two had surrounded her._

_Seiren's assailants remained unfazed as her eyes glowed red, and her fangs and claws extended. Clearly these men knew what she was and how to deal with her. Launching a flurry of swipes, bites and kicks, she attacked the two men, quickly leaving a bloody mess as one of the men ended up covered in gashes and bruises, the other however managed to dodge the majority of her attacks, retaliating with heavy blows._

_Several times Seiren was knocked to the ground before getting up again, spurred on by her will to protect Kaname. But then one of her attackers used his powers and sent her flying with a strong burst of wind, and she fell to the ground a few yards away in a bloody heap. She did not move from the floor, she had no right to do anything but die._

_She had failed in her duty…_

---X---

Seiren hung her head, humiliated. She had never failed Kaname-sama before, she had taken on much tougher missions than this, how had she failed now!? She was not worthy of serving Kaname-sama ever again.

"So you're awake are you?" glancing up, she growled as she spotted one of her attackers. It was the one that defeated her. "Seiren isn't it?" he asked in a conversational tone, while he reached for something silver on a nearby table. And holding it up, it was an extremely long knife, the way it was sparking in the man's hand showed that it was an anti-vampire weapon. The man grinned. "Nice to meet you."

Seiren didn't make a noise or any move to get away as the knife sliced through her skin, neither did she show any indication that she felt the sting of the charms in the blade. She had failed in her duty. She had failed her family, her father and the promise she'd made him. She had failed Kaname… she deserved every ounce of pain she received…

---X---

Kaname sat at his desk staring at a piece of paper in front of him. Seiren hadn't reported back since he had sent her on a mission, and the mission he had sent her on should not have taken her this long. Which meant that she had been caught, and if that was so, then she was most likely already dead.

Sighing, the pureblood buried his face in his hands. Great. Bloody brilliant. He had recently bitten Zero, traumatised him then violated his mind, at the same time creating an unwanted blood bond, and then he had sent Seiren to his death. Wonderful, what should he do next? Go right up to Rido and hand Yuuki to him on a silver platter!? _"Oh, I got tired of her, here take her, violate her and drain her blood, then kill all the purebloods in the world and become the tyrant king of all vampires and humans!"_ Was it even possible to screw up even more!?

A slight stinging sensation on his neck brought him out of his dark thoughts. It was the side where Zero had bitten him a week ago. Kaname almost growled in frustration, just when he thought he couldn't possibly feel more guilty, _someone_ had to prove him wrong.

Getting up, he turned and headed out of the door, the blood bond letting him know where the hunter was.

Zero was in fact in his room. He clutched his chest in pain. Why was he suffering from bloodlust!? Usually there was some warning, some form of build up to a blood lust attack, such as a dull ache. But this morning he'd been fine! How had he become so hungry in a mater of hours!?

But of course, what Zero didn't know was that Kaname had taken blood from him earlier, thus leaving him hungry.

"Kiryuu-kun," said a quiet voice from the doorway. The hunter's head snapped up as he heard Kaname's voice.

"K-Kuran," Zero growled. "Come to gloat?"

"Don't be stupid, Kiryuu, I said I'd be giving you my blood and I meant it. Besides, your body will gain no nutrition from anyone else's blood now that you've taken from a pureblood."

"I don't _want_ your damn blood, Kuran! What I _want_ is for you to leave me the hell alone!" Lied Zero. Inside his head, Zero's vampire nature was literally screaming for the pureblood's blood, which as a person, the hunter found absolutely disgusting.

Sighing, Kaname walked forward, stopping to kneel in front of the hunter, once again drawing his nails across his throat, spilling blood. Zero jerked violently as the sent of pure vampire blood hit the air, but still the hunter remained stubborn, refusing to give in. If Kaname had been less irritated, he might have been impressed by the younger boy's will power, but right now he just wanted to get this over and done with.

Coating his fingers in blood, Kaname smeared it along the prefect's bottom lip. Out of instinct, Zero began to lick the blood off of the pureblood's fingers. The sight was a mixture of innocence and seduction, and incredibly appealing for all the wrong reasons. As he watched the silver haired vampire lapping up the blood on his fingers, Kaname was inevitably dragged back to the dream he'd had a few weeks ago.

Without warning, Zero dragged Kaname forward and sank his fangs into the older vampire's neck, the sudden and unexpected movement caused the pureblood to moan slightly.

Somehow, this time around, Kaname's blood tasted even better. If that was even possible anyway. Zero frowned as he suddenly began to feel stressed, tired, irritated and… guilty…? These weren't his emotions, were they? No they weren't, they were Kaname's. Zero was confused. Why was the pureblood guilty? Eventually, the blood lust receded, but as Zero still wasn't used to the power in Kaname's blood, he felt very weak and very tired…

Kaname jumped slightly as he felt the hunter's body slacken. Glancing down, he saw that the ex-human had fallen asleep, unconsciously nuzzling into the older vampire's chest in an attempt to get comfortable. Gazing at the silver haired prefect's uncharacteristically peaceful features, Kaname felt a small smile tug at his lips. The ex-human vampire looked rather… adorable, when he was asleep and vulnerable like this.

The pureblood gently ran his fingers through the prefect's silver hair, before picking him up and placing him on his bed. Kaname glanced at Zero's sleeping form once, before leaving the room, seemingly unaware of the pair of eyes that were watching.

Sakura Mikage smirked. Oh her master was going to be so _pleased_ with her when she returned to him with news of another of the pureblood prince's weaknesses, and then when he received the Kuran boy's blood, and regained his true form, he would embrace her and love her like he had promised her!

But as she walked away, she sensed a presence behind her.

"Kaname-sama?" she asked, keeping her voice polite.

"There's no need to be so formal… Masako Kage…" The council assassin flinched as the pureblood said her real name. She had been caught out, this would not please her master! Not at all! Masako would have to kill the Kuran boy now!

Turning around, she brought out her weapon, but she was not fast enough. Using his mind, Kaname sent the girl flying into a nearby wall, where she landed in a crumpled heap. Walking up to her, he placed his hand on her forehead and wiped her memories of what she had seen between himself and Zero, but leaving the memory that she had seen something important, before stepping back and glaring coldly down at the girl.

"Return to your master, and inform him that he is _never_ harming _anyone _in this academy!" Masako's eyes widened in fear at the pureblood's furious aura.

"Y-yes Kuran-sama!"

"Now answer my questions!" another nod. "Is Seiren dead?"

"D-do you mean t-the girl that f-followed us, Kuran-sama?"

"Yes, her,"

"N-no Kuran-sama, she is being kept hostage for information!"

"So she's alive," Kaname felt slight relief run through him. Seiren wasn't dead! Masako slackened slightly as Kaname's aura began to calm slightly. "Where is she?"

"I d-don't know," Kaname's aura flared up again darker and stronger than before. "I swear I don't know! I swear!" she screamed. Kaname glared coldly at her before turning away.

"Get out of my sight and don't let me see you on the school grounds ever again," he said coldly. Masako didn't need telling twice and used her power to teleport off of the grounds. As soon as she was gone, Kaname headed into the sun dorms and didn't stop until he was inside a certain room, staring down at the sleeping occupant of a certain bed.

Yuuki was fast asleep in her bed, clinging to a teddy bear that Kaname had gotten her when she was little. Really, if Yuuki had stayed a vampire she would still be a child, and yet now she was almost a fully grown woman, and in a way that was frightening. Smiling softly, he brushed a few strands of brown hair from her eyes, causing her to stir and mumble something in her sleep.

"…Kaname-sempai…" Kaname stared at her. "…look after Zero for me… s' my special jerk…" Kaname repressed a chuckle at her wording. Once that might have made him jealous, but strangely it didn't anymore. Leaning forward he kissed his sister lightly on the forehead.

"I will Yuuki, I will…" he promised.

* * *

*_I'm really sorry, I have no idea what that room is!-_-;_

_I'm sorry it's so short, but as I've said I'm not feeling my best and my attention span is lower than normal! Forgive me and review! Please…_


	8. Pain and Humiliation

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N:**__ I'm thinking maybe that I should change the story title to Guilty! Also, even though there are elements of ZeroxYuuki and KanamexYuuki, it is all friendship and sibling love. Also, I noticed my chapters are rather short right now. I'm sorry, I promise when Kaname and Zero get their relationsip up and running there'll be longer chapters! TT-TT__ Nothing else to say, except thanks for reviewing and please continue to review!^^ And yes Cocbi94, you may have chocolate *hands invisible chocolate flavoured pocky* lol._

* * *

Chapter Eight: Pain and Humiliation

Turning on his side, Zero accidentally pushed the curtains open. The teenager groaned as sunlight shone in his eyes, waking him up. Swearing, he pulled the curtains shut. Even though he had been born a human, and he had a strong endurance for the sun, that didn't mean he was _comfortable _in the sun damnit! The white hot, bright sunlight irritated his senses just like any other vampire.

Turning on his back, Zero couldn't help but think something was different this morning. What was it? A change in the recurring nightmares? No… Wait, what nightmares? The prefect frowned. He hadn't _had_ any nightmares lat night, what had changed that? Sitting up, he noticed he was still in his clothes which were…

…covered in blood…?

Zero panicked. Oh god, had he hurt someone!? Who's blood was this!? Gingerly lifting his hand and sniffing it, his senses were assaulted by a familiar sweet scent. Kaname Kuran's blood. Then the memories of last night's events came flooding back. Zero turned bright pink.

Shit, how the hell had he fallen asleep in that pureblood's arms!? And then the pureblood had most likely put him onto his bed. Zero tried to block out the mental image of being carried by the pureblood, sleeping like a baby. Oh god, this was embarrassing! Thinking back, he thought he might have heard the pureblood moan in pleasure when the hunter sank his fangs into his neck… Zero turned even redder. _Pain_.The vampire had moaned in _pain,_ not pleasure!

After thinking about the pureblood for a few seconds, Zero felt his chest ache slightly. He frowned, this feeling seemed to come to him every time he drank Kuran's blood. What was it…? This strange dull ache that wasn't going away, it was similar to the pain of losing his family and living with the knowledge that he was doomed to become an insane, bloodthirsty monster, never being able to see the people he cared about ever again. The silver haired prefect's mood instantly darkened.

Shizuka Hio. It was her fault. Why hadn't she left him to die with his parents? Why did she force him to live like this!? What had he ever done to her!? Why… why did Ichiru betray them? Something inside of Zero felt like crying as he remembered his twin, but he repressed that part of him instantly. Crying wasn't going to get him anywhere. Ichiru was gone, a part of his life that was never coming back. '_No use crying over spilt milk,_' as that idiotic chairman would say.

Sighing, Zero glanced at his bedroom door.

"Hey, Yuuki, weren't you taught it's impolite to lurk behind people's doors?" There was a loud squeak and a crash, as Yuuki fell backwards in shock. Blushing from embarrassment, she stuck her head around the door.

"How do you always know it's me?" she asked meekly.

"I can smell you." Yuuki blinked.

"You can _smell_ me?" she repeated.

"Your blood has it's own distinct scent, I can smell that."

"Oh…" said Yuuki quietly. Realising that this was a topic better avoided, she changed subjects smiling cheerfully. "Hey, Zero, you know our math homework is due in tomorrow and-"

"_Hell no_!" yelled Zero, sitting bolt upright and glaring at the brunette. "I'm not sitting near you and that bloody math paper if you pay me!!!"

"What!? You jerk! You never help me anymore!"

"You don't want help! What you _want_ is someone to do your work _for _you!" yelled Zero, hitting the nail on the head. "Well guess what!? You can go and find someone else to do it! Because I am _not_ doing it this time! Do you hear me!? There is no way I'm agreeing to this!!!"

A few minutes later, the two school guardians found themselves in the Chairman's living room, Yuuki's homework spread in front of them.

"I don't believe I just agreed to this…" groaned Zero, burying his head in his hands as Yuuki stared blankly at the piece of paper in front of her. "Look, Yuuki, it's not hard! What's forty nine divided by seven?" He snapped, making Yuuki flinch and frown.

"I don't know, geez! Stop yelling at me!" Zero sighed into his hands. He felt unusually stressed and irritated right now, and he had no idea why.

"Alright, Yuuki, I'm sorry. Just guess."

"Six?" guessed Yuuki, earning herself a glare from her tutor. "Nine? Forty? Two? One hundred? Seven?"

"Oh thank god, you finally got the right answer!"

"What? One hundred?" Zero glared at his partner.

"Yuuki, what's two plus one?"

"…um…two?" The hunter groaned and slammed his head onto the table. Why the hell did he have to agree to this? Why!? _She can't even do adding and subtracting…_

He biro out of her hands and pushed the brunette girl out of her seat, before snatching up the paper and scribbling down the answers. He just couldn't take it any more! How could anyone be this thick without being mentally disabled!? Sometimes he felt as though Yuuki just pretended to be stupid just to get her own way… which was probably very likely. _Damn Kuran for spoiling her!_ he thought in his head, while ignoring the slight ache in his chest yet again.

What was that feeling? It felt almost like a longing sensation, but the only thing Zero longed for where the pureblood was concerned was for the damn vampire to shove off and/or die… wasn't it?

Zero shook his head. Of course it was, he was just over tired, or maybe it was an after effect of taking the vampire's blood. Darker thoughts began evolving in Zero's mind as he thought of possible side effects. What if the effects were on purpose? Just because Kuran hadn't done anything _yet_ didn't mean that he wasn't going to do something eventually. Maybe this weird feeling would keep building up until the hunter couldn't think straight and then-

No! No! He couldn't think that thought, he _couldn't_!

_Sharp claws dragging down his back, tearing his skin…_

_Cold lecherous black eyes, filled with disgusting, greedy lust…_

_Harsh cruel words…_

_Hot salty tears of humiliation as-_

Zero dropped the pen with a small cry of pain and buried his face in his hands.

"Zero!?" cried Yuuki, alarmed, watching as her friend began to tremble slightly. Without thinking, she pulled him into a tight hug, making him jump slightly before realising who it was. "Zero, are you alright?"

"m'fine," muttered Zero, glaring sullenly at the floor, stubbornly ignoring the way his eyes were burning up and his sight was blurring. _I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry._

Without warning, Zero buried his head into Yuuki's shoulder and began to sob. Seeing the tears running down her foster brother's face, Yuuki couldn't stop her own brown eyes from watering.

"What are you crying for?" Zero asked her, his voice slightly muffled in Yuuki's jacket.

"It's m-my f-fault," sobbed Yuuki. Feeling guilt well up inside her. "I-if I hadn't run away when you told me to…"

"We'd both be in deep shit," Zero finished for her, sitting up and looking her in the eyes. He'd stopped crying now, himself forgotten as Yuuki began to cry. "There was nothing you could have done… hell, Yuuki, if you hadn't run away I'd most likely be-," Zero broke off, he was going to say dead, but that probably wasn't a good thing to tell the girl in front of him. Unfortunately, Yuuki seemed to have caught on to Zero's line of thought because her eyes widened she began to cry harder. Sighing, Zero wrapped his arms around the girl. "Baka," he murmured.

Now it was Yuuki's turn to cry on Zero, as she muffled her sobs in the silver haired boy's chest, her entire small body shaking with the force of her crying. If she hadn't run away, it might have been _her_ in Zero's place, and Zero wouldn't have been hurt… but maybe… maybe they wouldn't have been alright. What if Zero was right and they'd have ended up dead? She shuddered and hugged her partner closer, hiccupping slightly as he stroked her hair as a comforting gesture. He shouldn't be comforting her, she should be comforting him! Zero was too kind for his own good, but only Yuuki ever saw this side of him. She sniffled.

Why was fate so cruel to this sweet gentle boy?

---X---

Kaname stared blankly at the pile of papers in front of him, resisting the urge to go and find Kain, and tell him to set fire to them. His neck felt like it was throbbing on the side where Zero had bitten him, he could feel the hunter's fear and pain through the bond, and to some unpleasant extent - the sensations Zero was remembering. It wasn't helping _his_ current mood either. The pureblood was irritated and stressed, from dealing with council spies, locating Seiren and dealing with even more vivid dreams, last night he'd been exceptionally restless, having to resist going back to Zero's room to see the prefect's face while he slept, or possibly worse. Kaname honestly did not want to become a rapist.

In a way, entertaining such thoughts about the younger boy was paedophilic. In vampire terms, Zero would be under the age ten and even younger than Yuuki. It was just as well the hunter had matured with human speed, and was in the dark about the blood bond, the thoughts running through the pureblood's head due to the blood bond _and_ his age in vampire terms.

To add to Kaname's stress, he had no idea what was occurring in the world around him. Seiren was his bodyguard, his eyes and his ears in the outside world where the pureblood himself could not be. Without her to be his senses, Kaname was stumbling blindly in complete darkness, blind and deaf. Ignorant and lying in harm's way. Worse, by remaining ignorant of the activities taking place in the world around him, he had placed those close to him in danger.

Sighing, the pureblood stood up and headed to the other end of the room where the chess board was set up. In a way, what had just happened was similar to a game of chess. He had lost a vital piece in the game, and now he was losing, and losing badly. Absentmindedly, Kaname began playing a game of chess, occasionally becoming distracted by the pain on the other end of the bond. The blood bond with Zero Kiryuu was another mistake that could prove lethal, blood bonds were permanent and could not be shut off or silenced in any way. Kaname and Zero would be bound by blood until the end of their lives… at least, the end of _Zero's_ life.

Kaname felt a sharp pain in his heart as he followed that train of thought, nobody knew how long an ex-human vampire lived, there were rumours that a stabilized former human lived as long as a pureblood.. If Zero did die however, it could potentially be lethal for him, when one member of a blood bond died, the other would go insane with grief. Kaname smiled at that thought. How very ironic, here he was thinking of vampires going insane with grief from a broken bond, when his very own bond mate was the product of one.

When the Kiryuus killed Shizuka Hio's lover, the bond severed and the pureblood princess went mad with grief. In vengeance she murdered the two hunters, and turned their oldest son, while the younger twin betrayed them. Four years later, said oldest son happens to be bonded to a pureblood reflecting on severed bonds… without realising it.

As Kaname returned his attention to the chess board he realised that there were two pieces in danger, the knight and the queen. The two pieces automatically summoned the image of the two people he use the pieces to represent; Zero and Yuuki. Glancing around the board, the only way he could find to protect them both was to move the king… himself. Kaname stared at the board as if it was something from another planet. If the worst came to the worst then… yes, he would die for them.

Not that the ex-human would care. The young pureblood grimaced, the younger vampire may actually be protected from the severing of the bond by his intense hatred of the pureblood.

But that was if his plans came to the worst possible outcome, there was still time to regain that vital piece. He sighed and glanced at one of the bishops.

_Where did they take you Seiren?_

---X---

There was a groan and a thud, as Seiren collapsed against the stone wall, hugging her arms in an attempt to cover her vulnerable body, as blood ran down her naked legs. She glared at the man in front of her, who was laughing. It was an unpleasant dry laugh that was made all the worse by the sound of his laughter echoing off of the damp stone walls.

"I have to admit you are very strong willed, Seiren-san. I'm impressed," She bared her fangs at her tormentor, she may have lost much her dignity, but she hadn't lost it so much, that she would take that shit from a bastard, son of a bitch leech like this man. She had lost a lot of blood during the two days spent in the hell hole, and as soon as that bloodlust went far enough, this bastard was _dead_. Due to her vampire nature, Seiren's hair had grown in two days down to her shoulders*, and thanks to the anti-vampire charms, she had acquired quite a few scars, including three long gashes down her face. Under normal circumstances, she would have cut her hair last night with an anti-vampire weapon, but then again, these was hardly normal circumstances, were they?

"G-go to hell you bastard!" she hissed through her teeth, panting heavily. Oh she so badly wanted to kill this man- no, this _maggot_! Actually now that she called him that, it seemed an insult to maggots everywhere! She had been maimed, tortured and violated. But still, Seiren took satisfaction in the fact that she had not breathed a single word of Kaname-sama's secrets. But she had learnt some of her enemie's secrets. From watching the occasional person walk past and listening in on conversations when her tormentor was gone, she had deducted that she was in the cells in the dungeon beneath the Vampire Council building.

"Now, now, Seiren, that's not polite words for a young lady of noble standing is it?" he chided her, speaking as a father would speak to a small child refusing to go to bed at bedtime. "Wouldn't you like to leave here, sweetie? I'm sure you would…" he said, in a mock gentle voice. "You just have to do one thing for me, tell me everything I want to know about Kaname Kuran," In response Seiren spat in his face.

"I will _never_ betray Kaname-sama, council dog!!!"

"More fool you then!" replied the council member, grabbing a knife and preparing to sink it once again into the young woman's flesh. Unfortunately for him, when he had last tortured Seiren using the weapons, she had been unable to move, and lacked the motivation to do so. Now however, she had her limbs free and possessed both a strong desire for revenge, and possibly even a chance at redemption. She had discovered important information for her master, even if Kaname-sama would not forgive her, she could at least die happy knowing she had served him in some form.

As the knife came slashing forward, Seiren grabbed the man's lower arm and twisted it backwards, snapping it and using his own forward momentum to drive it into his black shrivelled excuse for a heart. Unable to move his arm and dislodge the knife, the council dog began using his free arm to attempt to dislodge the knife. But in that time, Seiren had already grabbed a nearby cleaver and sliced his head clean off, watching coldly as his body turned to dust. In her opinion, his death had not been anywhere near painful or slow enough, but he was dead, and that was satisfactory.

Taking a knife off of the table, Seiren grabbed the cell keys from the door nearby and headed out of the door undetected. She would steal some clothes later on. Right now she had a mission to continue on…

---X---

Meanwhile somewhere else deep in the council building, another girl was soon to be screaming.

"M-master, f-forgive me, I have failed. The K-Kuran boy discovered me, a-and defeated me… he said to tell you that he will never allow you to harm anyone close to him…" Masako Kage stood trembling before her 'beloved' master, who was staring at her coldly.

"He frightened you didn't he, Masako? You were so terrified you begged, you were prepared to betray me."

"N-no master! _Never_!"

"Liar!" Masako was knocked to the side by a harsh slap of kinetic energy. The voice of her master addressed the guards in this room. "Get this pathetic bitch away from me and lock her in a cell until I find use for her!"

"Master! Master! No! Please!" The disgraced assassin screamed as she was dragged away…

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_*Because I think Seiren would look nice with long hair, and I said so, so :P, if you don't like it!_

_Is it just me? Or are the themes in this story getting darker and darker? o_O_


	9. First Impressions

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N: **__*crawls out from under rock* Um… Hi…? Please don't throw stuff at me. I know I haven't updated for insert number months, but I have a good reason! I was writing up all my chapters (Got to chapter 13 with a ton of kiss scenes too…) When my computer died. And my laptop was in England, and I was in Wales. Joy. Even better, it deleted _all_ my data… sooo… also, worse news, there will be even less updates because I have my GCSEs (Final School Exams), and yes, before I get any complaints, I am old enough to write this fic. Taking a break from angst, here's a little fluff for you!^^ Finally I introduce an OC who won't harm anybody… well… almost anybody…_

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Chapter Nine: First Impressions

Zero sighed and stared at the night sky. The past three weeks had been one of the most eventful two weeks off his life, and for some reason, most of it seemed to revolve around Kaname Kuran. The ex-human had seen so much of the pureblood this week it felt like he was being stalked by the pureblood!

"Stupid Kuran," he muttered. Whenever the prefect walked past the Moon Dorm he felt the older vampire's eyes on his back, every day at dusk the pureblood stared at him as he walked past. Sometimes Zero wanted to hit the pureblood again and ask him what the hell his problem was!

The silver haired hunter was brought out of his thoughts by a sharp tugging sensation at the hem of his trousers. Zero blinked in surprise, did something just…? No, he must be imagining it. The prefect was about to resume his patrol, when there were several more tugs. Glancing down, he was surprised when a pair of big, dark brown eyes met his own lavender ones. Releasing the hem of his trousers, the owner of the eyes barked. It was a puppy. A black Labrador Retriever to be exact. Unable to stop himself, Zero knelt down and scratched the dog behind it's ears, in response, the puppy wagged it's tail and barked again. Zero couldn't resist smiling, this thing was so damn cute. Vaguely he remembered the years when his parents were alive and he'd nagged and nagged for a puppy. Maybe he could convince the chairman to let him keep this one…

Quickly, Zero checked for a collar or any sign that the puppy belonged to somebody. Aside from the dirty fur, the dog had on a collar, but no tag.

"Wow, you need a shower," he told the puppy, who in response whined, but cheered up after being petted again. Dirty fur or no, this dog was exceptionally cuddly. How could anybody be stupid enough to get their dog a collar with no tag attached, what would be the point of getting the collar in the first place!?

Zero didn't look up as he heard footsteps approach, the light padding on the ground was slightly heavier and clumsier than the sound of a vampire's steps, so the only other person it could be was either Yuuki, or a very stupid Day Class girl. When a fist connected with the side of his head, Zero discovered it was Yuuki.

"You, jerk! How many times have I told you to stop slacking off!!!" She shrieked at him.

"I am _not slacking_ off!" Zero yelled back.

"Oh yeah!? Then what- Ooh! A puppy!" Yuuki's lecture was cut off as she noticed the little dog nearby, who barked happily in response. Zero's apparent 'slacking off' was forgotten as the brunette girl rushed forward to cradle the puppy in her arms. "Aww… he's so cute… Does he belong to anybody do you think?" Zero shrugged.

"He has a collar but no tags, so I don't know…"

"Great! Let's keep him!"

"Yuuki! We can't keep him, he _might_ belong to somebody!"

"And if he doesn't?"

"Ask the Chairman. We should probably take it to him anyway."

"What are you asking the Chairman?" Called out a soft, monotonous voice. Both prefects' eyes widened and Zero turned around sharply to face the owner of the voice.

"Kaname-sempai!" squeaked Yuuki.

"Kuran!" _Damn it pureblood, stop stalking me! Wait… I have no way of being positive that he's stalking me… Why am I not freaked out by this?_ Before Zero could dwell any further on his rather disturbing thoughts, a certain puppy had tried to launch forward, dragging Yuuki with him, who unfortunately landed on the back of Zero, who was knocked forward onto Kaname (Who's thoughts were elsewhere), which would be embarrassing enough on it's own, but was made even more embarrassing by the fact that his lips had landed directly on Kaname's, making for a very… _interesting_ position. Especially since he was pretty much straddling the pureblood.

The male prefect's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he realised he was pretty much _kissing_ the vampire. Blushing like mad, the hunter scrambled off of the pureblood. Kaname was also having difficulty not blushing, and Yuuki was sitting there next to the puppy, her brown eyes bugging out of their sockets, and a blush quickly spreading across her cheeks. For some reason Yuuki had found the sight of the two boys in that position oh-so… hot. Hot? Since when did _she_ use that word? But that really was the only way she could describe it.

Meanwhile, the little Labrador barked happily, apparently pleased with his work. Kaname stood up and glanced over at the little villain.

"I take it _that_ is what you wanted to speak to the Chairman about?" his mind still reeling from what had just happened. If Zero hadn't removed his lips just then… well, suffice to say the bond would have made it even _more_ embarrassing. Yuuki stared unseeing at him for a few seconds before his question registered in her brain.

"Uh, yes, yes that's what we're going to see the Chairman about. Right, Zero? Zero?" Glancing over towards the silver haired vampire, she realised that her partner was currently staring at the ground with a completely mortified expression.

_Oh god, I just kissed him. I had my lips on his lips… In- in _that_ position!!!_ What maybe made it worse was the fact that it had felt _good_. Kaname's lips were possibly the softest things Zero had ever felt. Damnit! He should stop thinking like that! Putting his hand down on the floor, he felt his fingers brush against something smooth and cold, looking towards it, he realised it was a gun. _His_ gun. The Bloody Rose. The hunter felt some relief at finding his lost weapon. Glancing up he realised Yuuki was talking to him.

"Zero!?"

"What?"

"I _said_ we're going to see the Chairman about the puppy, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Glancing over towards where the pureblood was standing, something clicked in his head. "Kuran, what the hell were you doing outside of lessons anyway!"

"I needed to speak with the Chairman," Kaname replied, not meeting Zero's eyes.

"Oh good! We can all go together!" Chirped Yuuki, gaining her an incredulous look from Zero.

"Are you _kidding_ me!?" How could she just oh-so happily say that they should go together, after seeing him in that position (which was purely accidental) with the man she was supposed to be deeply in love with!?

But Yuuki didn't take no for an answer, and the four of them ended up in the Chairman's office. His first reaction upon seeing the puppy was to squeal like a little girl, he then proceeded to insist upon cuddling the dog.

"He's so cute! Who's a little cutie? Huh? Who's mommy's little cutie! You are! Yes you _are_!" Kaien cooed to the dogs, causing the three teenagers in the room to become highly embarrassed.

"Chairman," growled Zero, unable to take much more of his foster father's idiocy.

"Hmm? Oh don't worry Zero-chan, you're my little cutie too!" Kaname and Yuuki both felt the temperature in the room plummet, as Zero contemplated whether or not it was worth killing the Chairman. Currently his mind told him, yes, it was well worth killing the idiot. Luckily for the Chairman, Kaname stepped in.

"We were wondering if he had an owner."

"Oh he does," the Chairman murmured, before going back to cooing at the baby dog.

"How do you know?"

"Oh, little Kuro here belongs to Yagami-san who lives in town, he's an old friend of mine." Kaien glanced up at the three teenagers in his office, before handing the dog to Zero. He smiled and waved at the little dog, "Bye, bye, Kuro-chan! Mommy will miss you! Oh, and mommy will miss you too, Zero-chan!" Zero wordlessly handed Kuro to the nearest person, not realising it was Kaname he was handing the puppy to, before wrapping his hands around his foster father's throat and attempting to strangle him.

Kaname watched in faint amusement as Yuuki tried to save her father from her angry foster brother, while petting Kuro, the little dog's response was to chew his fingers, evidently taking great amusement from it. Holding the young animal was making Kaname nervous. He hated things like this - fragile, innocent pure things like this rather adorable bundle of black fur, should _not_ be held by vile, tainted monsters like him, who could easily rip them in two. He was relieved when Zero (having vented most of his anger) snatched the puppy away from, him, absolutely refusing to look Kaname in the eye.

Soon after the three once again found themselves together in town, in the middle of the night. Yuuki was absolutely thrilled, in the past few weeks she and the boys had spent more quality time together than they had all throughout the past four years. Yuuki's mood however was rather a contrast to the boys' moods. For them this was an exceptionally awkward journey, and Zero was currently trying to convince himself that what had transpired was an accident and definitely _not_ a kiss!

Kaname was trying to distract himself by looking around at the small human settlement. There were more people around tonight, and many of them were shooting admiring glances at both males, except for the occasional vampire who wouldn't dare look at a pureblood in such a way. To Kaname's irritation however, a few of the vampires _did_ direct such a look at Zero. Luckily the hunter was blissfully unaware of his admirers.

"Hey, guys, I think this is the house we're looking for!" Said Yuuki, coming to a halt. Quickly she checked the address scrawled on the back of her hand. "Yep, this is it!" Bounding over and dragging Zero along, Yuuki knocked on the door while Kaname stayed by the gate, which was answered by a girl in her teens.

"Can I help you?"

"Er, we're looking for Yagami-san?" asked Yuuki.

"I'm his daughter, Naomi Yagami, he's out at the moment "Oh, it's just that we found your puppy Kuro up at the school, so we brought him home!"

"Ah! You must by Cross' little girl , the one that he always talks about when he comes around! Yumi, wasn't it?" Zero snickered slightly as he heard the girl call Yuuki by the wrong name, causing her eyes to flicker in his direction.

"Eh, Yuuki sir. Spelt with the Kanji 'Yuu' for gentle and 'Ki' for princess." But Naomi wasn't listening to Yuuki's correction, she had her eyes trained on a certain silver eyed hunter to Yuuki's right.

"Sorry, my bad. So, is this your boyfriend?" She asked, keeping her voice falsely innocent and batting her eyelashes at Zero, who blushed at the implications. Yuuki turned bright red as well.

"No!"

"Wonderful…." murmured Naomi, before she slid up to the hunter, still batting her eyelashes. "So, sweetie, what's your name?" _Sweetie!?_ Zero's face turned even redder as he realised she was hitting on him. This girl was _scary_, definitely fangirl stalker material, god he hated girl's like this! She grinned as he didn't answer. "The shy type, huh? Bet I can help you get over that… in private…" Before Zero could reply, Kaname had appeared out of nowhere, and instinctively grabbed Zero pulling him into his chest, glaring coldly at the girl. "Oh!" she said. "Sorry, didn't realise you rolled that way. Damn! It's always the cute one's that are gay!" She muttered under her breath.

After that brief period of chaos, Naomi took Kuro, thanked them and went back inside. It was about that point Zero realised that he was leaning against the pureblood's chest, and _wrapped in his arms_.

"What the- Kuran! Get the hell off of me!" Kaname immediately released the hunter, causing him to fall onto the floor. Yuuki watched them both with her head cocked to the side, there was some kind of instinct in her head, that was insisting that there was something building up between the two vampire males. First the tension, the accidental kiss, and now this… yes, something was brewing, and this new instinct of hers liked it… But right now she was tired.

Kaname and Zero both glanced up as Yuuki yawned.

"Let's go home, please…" she muttered sleepily. Kaname nodded and turned to leave, but both were surprised when Zero didn't follow. "Huh? Zero? Aren't you coming?" called Yuuki.

"You go home Yuuki, I want to stay here for a little while…" he replied. Kaname shot him a suspicious glance, before turning around and escorting Yuuki.

Zero waited till Kaname's aura wasn't registering on his senses, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What was wrong with him lately!? Why was everything so damn weird between him and Kuran right now!? Turning and walking through the streets, Zero couldn't resist a slight sadistic smirk as he felt the aura of a level E nearby, how convenient it was that whenever the hunter needed to vent some stress a vampire always showed up.

Turning into an alleyway, his nose was assaulted by the smell of blood. For some reason, the scent didn't affect him as much as it had in the past. Glancing over to the end of the alleyway, he saw the insane vampire drinking heavily from a young woman. It looked up as it heard Zero approach, revealing it's hideous features. It was one of the older level E's, the ones who had completely lost their humanity to bloodlust, so much so, that the humanity had even drained out of its appearance. its eyes were completely red, the pupil, irises and even what was once the whites of its eyes was now bloody red, its once human features were now twisted beyond recognition, all the fat had wasted away from its body, leaving only a walking skeleton with alabaster skin in filthy, bloodstained rags. Instead of having two fangs and fingers it had a mouthful of razor sharp canines and long wicked black claws. _That's what you'll be one day…_ the dark thought entered Zero's thoughts before he could stop it. The hunter pushed that thought away as he reached inside his jacket for his gun, thanking whatever was out there that he'd found it today.

Ex-human vampires rarely survived to this stage, they were either stabilized, bound to their master's will or put down by either hunters or their higher level kin. But there were exceptions every now and then. Level Es this old were stronger and faster than the fresher level Es, but were easiest to kill. A single shot or scratch from an anti-vampire weapon anywhere on their bodies was enough to turn them to dust and ashes. Probably because there was absolutely no humanity in them. Even purebloods had at least _some_ degree of humanity.

Before the level E had a chance to move, Zero shot it through the head, turning it to dust before the fight even started. Approaching the vampire's victim, Zero was surprised when he recognized her.

"You! You're that girl from the Night Class!" Seiren's eyes shot open as she heard Zero's voice. She gave him a low growl.

"Come to gloat, _hunter_?" She spat the last word like it was venom on her tongue. She had run from her prison, and stolen some clothes from a human store. Unfortunately she was too weak and tired, and the level E had easily overwhelmed her.

"Not originally, no, however I think it's rather strange that an aristocrat could be defeated by a level E. Aren't you high and mighty monsters supposed to be stronger than us mere mortals?" She glowered at him.

"If you wish to kill me, Kiryuu, then do so. Do _not_ sit there and taunt me like the dishonourable, cowardly monsters that your kind are!" Zero glared back at her.

"Oh, so now it's my race that are monsters!?"

"You would dare call yourselves otherwise? After I saw your hunter kin tear apart my mother, father and baby sister!?" She asked coldly, before averting her eyes, feeling the age old pain welling up inside her. Kiyoko… her tiny little body lying mangled on the floor before it disintegrated… She was only four when she died! A four year old, smiling happy little child, who brought a smile to the faces of everyone she met, and she met her bloody end at the hands of those cowards from the Hunter's Association!

Seiren did not see the expression of shock on Zero's face. The pain in Seiren's voice struck a cord in Zero's own soul, memories of his own family came rushing back. There was a possibility that the female vampire was lying, but the pain in her voice sounded too real, too familiar… after all, he'd heard that tone in his _own_ voice. He smelt faint traces of salt in the air, and realised that Seiren was crying.

"I'm sorry…" He said quietly, knowing the pain of remembering lost loved ones. Seiren blinked in surprise, before scrutinizing the hunter's face, searching for any sign that he was lying. Satisfied that he wasn't, Seiren relaxed.

"Thank you," she said stiffly, silently berating herself. You do not show weakness in front of anyone, let alone a potential enemy!

"Can you walk?" She shook her head in response. Sighing, Zero glanced around before picking the lilac haired vampire up. Seiren squeaked slightly, unused to the unfamiliar sensation, before giving Zero an indignant glare. "Look, you can't walk and I'm not leaving you here, so deal with it!" _At least she's really light…_In fact, Seiren was almost weightless, if all vampires were this light then he was surprised that they didn't get blown away by the wind. God, he hoped _he_ wasn't this light!

Making sure to avoid all the humans around, Zero carried the fuming aristocrat to Cross Academy, more precisely, the Chairman's office. Kaname, Yuuki and Kaien all looked up in shock as Zero burst through the doors with a very angry Seiren in his arms. Her anger was forgotten however when she spotted her master in the room.

"Kaname-sama!" she cried.

"Seiren!" Kaname felt relief course through him as he saw his body guard, though of course he didn't show it. "Put her on the couch please Kiryuu." Zero did so without arguing for once. As soon as Seiren was out of his arms, Zero turned around and headed towards his room. Half and hour later, Kaname passed by - just in time to see Zero take his shirt off*. The pureblood couldn't help stopping and examining the boy's muscled chest, it didn't take long however, for Zero to notice Kaname's presence… or what he was looking at.

"Kuran! Stop staring!" Zero glared at him while blushing furiously.

"I came here for a reason, Kiryuu-kun," said Kaname softly, walking over to Zero so they were face to face. "Seiren was bleeding rather heavily, I wanted to make sure that you weren't hungry from the scent of her blood"

"I thought you said I wouldn't want any other blood!" snapped Zero.

"I said your thirst wouldn't be quenched by any other's blood," said Kaname patiently, tilting his head to the side slightly, and exposing his neck. Seiren had returned to the Moon Dorms, so his blood wouldn't be smelt. Zero's eyes automatically locked onto the pureblood's neck. Kaname almost shivered in inevitable anticipation as the hunter's irises turned feral red.

Without warning, Zero grabbed Kaname, pushed him into the wall and bit into his neck. Caught off guard by the suddenness of the bite, Kaname couldn't hold back a low moan of pleasure. The feeling of the hunter's lips moving sensuously against his skin, his fangs embedded deep into his neck, and the occasional low moan was a truly erotic experience. After a short while Zero pulled away and stared into the pureblood's mahogany toned eyes, panting slightly. His mind was still slightly hazy from the power in Kaname's blood, and the hunter's head wasn't quite as clear as it usually was, which combined with the effects of the unknown blood bond was perhaps what was causing the thoughts that were building in his head as he stared at Kaname's perfect, soft lips. He still remembered how those lips had felt against his earlier, and Zero was overcome by sudden curiosity How it feel to have those lips moving against his? What did it feel like to kiss someone? What would it feel to kiss another man? What would it be like to kiss a vampire… What would it feel like to kiss _Kaname_?

Kaname stiffened as he felt Zero press his lips against his, moving gently against his in a chaste kiss, coaxing Kaname's own lips to join in. To his own surprise, Kaname didn't need any convincing, and soon enough the two vampires were plundering each other's mouths with their tongues. Their fingers entwined in each other's hair, and both of them were moaning into the heated kiss…

At least until Zero came to his senses. Realising what he was doing, Zero jumped back as if he'd been electrocuted, all the colour drained from his face as he stared at Kaname with an expression that was nothing short of horrified. Trying his best not to look hurt, Kaname stood up and left without a word.

* * *

_*lol. Lucky bastard._

_Yay! Things are finally heating up! Just as well, it was getting boring!_


	10. Break Down

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**A/N: **__It just occurred to me how many typos there were in the last chapter, and it seemed kind of rushed too. I'm sorry… Also, I realise that certain aspects of the story will move too fast in this chapter but erm… I suck at subtlety. So, this chapter I am unloading a ton of angst on our darling Kuran prince. Aw, bless him… *cuddles pureblood who pushes her away and tries to strangle her*_

_

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Chapter Ten: Break Down

The Moon Dormitory was uncharacteristically silent on that particular night. An aura of misery had been cast over the entire Night Class. The main reason was their leader. Not one of Kaname's inner circle had missed the almost shattered look in their leader's eyes when he returned to the Moon Dorm first thing at the afternoon (or morning for humans). Ruka, Takuma and Hanabusa had all been shocked when they passed the pureblood's room and smelt salt.

But of course they didn't enter his room after that, nobody, _nobody_ saw a pureblood's tears, not even other purebloods. Not even a pureblood's mate saw their lover's tears, with the exception perhaps of Haruka and Juuri. It just didn't happen, for a pureblood vampire to show a sign of weakness in front of other's was almost a greater taboo than asking a pureblood for their esteemed blood. All the same, none of them could hold back their own tears upon returning to their rooms, their leader was in pain, and if he should suffer, so must they. It was a far cry from how other lower level vampires would have reacted, and perhaps a strange thing to do from a human point of view, but such was the loyalty and love Kaname's closest followers felt for him.

If they had been any other vampires, they most likely would have taken advantage of the pureblood in his distraught state. But as it was, the thought never once crossed their minds.

Kaname upon returning had simply walked past everyone in the lobby ignoring the many questions of the Night Class students, and gone straight to his room, where he collapsed onto the neck and buried his face in his pillow. He couldn't stop the hot tears that began to run down his cheeks, nor could he stop the way his shoulder's began to tremble. Before long his entire body started convulsing, causing shameful whimpers and sobs to tear past his lips, which were thankfully muffled by the now damp pillows.

The reason? The newfound emotion that was coursing through him, threatening to shatter his mind from the intensity of the despair it caused.

Oh it could be so easy to pass the cause off as the blood bond that had formed between them, it _should_ be so easy. It should be so easy to be able to keep giving his blood to the prefect in exchange for not having to even _look_ at the moody prefect for a while. But that was impossible now. The second he felt the hunter's lips against his own, a new sensation flared inside Kaname.

Thirst. Harsh, brutal, uncontrollable thirst that was nigh impossible. Thirst for Zero's blood. He could feel every cell in his body yearning, no, _screaming_ for the ex-human's blood, and _only_ Zero's. The pureblood had lived long enough to understand what that thirst meant for him.

Why? Why of all the people on earth did it have to be _him_? Why did he have to fall in love with Zero Kiryuu?

Vampire's were rather cold creatures compared to humans, their lives were full of deceit and mistrust. A vampire could never have true friends, only temporary allies who must be watched at all times, then disposed of as soon as they weren't required. Kaname, however, doubted he could do such a thing to his allies in the Night Class, unless not doing so harmed Yuuki or… or Zero.

Until a vampire fell in love with someone who they could share their blood with, they hunted humans, relishing on the warmth they found in these fragile, easy going creatures that were so different from them. Feeding from a human provided little warmth compared with the blood of a mate however.

And right now Kaname wanted Zero's blood, so, _so_ badly…

_To bury his fangs in that beautiful warm, soft neck…_

_To feel the hunter's sweet, beautiful essence running past his lips and down his throat…_

Kaname shuddered and gripped his pillow harder. It was so damn hard to keep himself under control like this. He was so weak and vulnerable because of one damned ex-human vampire. If Ichiou and Rido could see him now the foul vultures would probably be laughing their black hearts out. His parents would probably hang their heads in shame upon seeing their son like this.

No, not his parents. Juuri and Haruka, weren't _his_ parents, he just happened to possess their son's body. Nonetheless, Juuri and Haruka had certainly cared for him like their son, and Haruka had told him countless times that Kaname was their son, and always would be in their eyes, but Kaname couldn't help but think that maybe their lives would have been better without him. The Kurans would never have died and still have their beloved son by their side, and Yuuki would have her older brother, who could probably love her a lot more than he could. Maybe not just the Kuran's lives either, maybe Kaien Cross' too, without having to look after Yuuki maybe the ex-hunter perhaps could have gotten over memories of Juuri and had a family of his own.

Maybe by some slim chance even the Kiryuu's could have had better fortune. _Zero,_ could have had a better life, without the loss of his parents and sensei, or the betrayal of his twin, never being turned into a creature he despised. Maybe the hunter could have grown up without all the self loathing and hatred, Kaname could easily see him becoming the Head of the Hunter's Association one day. Maybe he'd even of had a shot at a normal human life, gone to college, gotten married had children of his own…

Kaname felt a surge of pain and jealousy run through him at the thought of Zero living with someone else, his hands and lips touching someone else's bare skin, sleeping in someone else's bed…. But even so, Zero would be so much happier with a life like that, a life he was _supposed_ to have.

Groaning, and still crying those same shameful tears, Kaname sat up and reached blindly for something at the side of his bed. Soon enough his fingers brushed against cool plastic - the pill box that contained his blood tablets. Without restraint or hesitation, the pureblood poured them all into his mouth, chewing them quickly before swallowing, all the while grimacing at the chemical taste and dry texture.

At least same they somewhat quenched his raging thirst for Zero's blood, at least enough for him to think clearly.

The pureblood sighed and ran his fingers through his slightly messy hair. Why did his whole life have to be so damn hard? He closed his eyes and concentrated on calming down for a few moments. Crying would do no good. Heck, it wouldn't do _anything_ past making him weak and vulnerable prey. It was amazing, he'd spent over a millennia building up that stony mask of indifference that kept everyone out, and in a matter of seconds one ex-human _child_ had smashed right through it.

Sighing once again he glanced out the window, it would soon be time for the Day Class' fist lesson, though it seemed as if a rainstorm was brewing. The weather seemed almost as depressed as he was as of late. Unbidden, his thoughts wandered towards Zero, wondering what he was doing right now.

Kaname mentally reprimanded himself for thinking about the hunter. The look on Zero's face when he realised what he'd done spoke volumes. The ex-human was horrified, Kaname wouldn't put it past the hunter to try and shoot Kaname with the newly recovered Bloody Rose the next time he saw him.

Still he couldn't help wondering how Zero was coping with what had happened earlier…

---X---

Zero Kiryuu was in fact, lying on his bed, glaring at the ceiling. He'd stayed in the Chairman's house that night, and his room was pitch black due to the fact that the curtains had been drawn.

What the _hell_ had he done!? He'd kissed a vampire! Worse, he'd kissed a vampire, who just happened to be Kuran and, oh by the way, _male_. He wasn't gay! He found certain woman attractive… admittedly he'd never been attracted _to_ them in the romantic sense but still, he _was not gay_. He felt a blush spread across his cheeks as he remembered the kiss. Damn Kuran!

As if the situation couldn't be any worse, the memory of the kiss was appealing to the hunter. He'd kissed a vampire of the same sex, and _liked_ it. Inappropriately, the song 'I kissed a girl' by Katy Perry popped into his head before he shoved it out. Damn the Chairman for liking that damned song too!

Zero sighed and turned over onto his side. The ex-human would bet anything that the pureblood was sitting in the Moon Dorms surrounded by his little fan club, all of them laughing their heads off as he told them the story of how he got a kiss off the ex-human bitch. A small logical voice at the back of his head reminded him that the Night Class didn't know that he was a vampire, but he pushed it to the back of his head. Know wasn't a good time for logic, right now all Zero wanted was to be unreasonably angry.

After a few more moments of fuming in the darkness, the door burst open, disrupting Zero's thoughts, but definitely not improving his mood.

"Zero-kun!" Chairman Cross' overly happy voice broke through the silence. "It's a lovely brand new day! You shouldn't be spending it in bed!" Zero simply sent the Chairman an irritated glare, before pulling the covers over his head and attempting to ignore the idiot who had just barged into his room.

Of course Kaien wasn't put off in the least, he simply marched over to the window and yanked open the curtains, before pulling the duvet off of the bed, revealing a severely pissed off Zero Kiryuu.

"Now, now, Zero. I didn't raise my darling son to be a lazy layabout!" cried Cross, looking as though he had been badly let down. Zero simply growled at him.

"I am _not_ your son, and you've only raised me for four years!" the younger hunter snapped back, before turning around so his back was to his guardian*. Kaien watched Zero quietly. Though his foster son was indeed correct, the Chairman of Cross academy still loved Yuuki and Zero as his own children, and knew them well enough to know when they were upset.

"Zero… did something happen between you and Kaname last night?" Zero stiffened as he heard his foster fathers words, which Kaien took for a 'yes'. Last night the pureblood had walked past them all and exited the house without a word, not even stopping to acknowledge Yuuki as she called out to him. Cross chose his next words carefully.

"You don't have to come downstairs if you don't want to, Zero," he said quietly. "But Yuuki's worried, about you." _As am I…_With that he left the room, while Zero watched his retreating back.

The hunter frowned as he mulled over the Chairman's words. Yuuki was always worried about him. It seemed that making the warm hearted girl worry herself sick was what he was best at. Sighing, he moved to the edge of the bed and began locating articles of clothing on the floor. Why did he have this unstoppable weakness whenever it came to Yuuki Cross?

After he'd located his uniform and gotten dressed, Zero made his way to the kitchen. Only to come to an abrupt halt in the doorframe. Sitting at the table with Yuuki were two people in the world he'd never expect to see eating cereal and toast at the chairman's house.

"What are _you_ still doing here!?" Seiren glanced up from the table briefly at the sound of the male prefects voice.

"Kaname-sama has ordered me to stay here for the sake of my health." With the tone of voice Seiren used, Kaname might as well have ordered her to destroy all her worldly positions and marry her archenemy. Not that she had one anymore, she smirked inwardly as she remembered killing her tormentor. The good mood faded however, when she remembered how Kaname-sama had sent her to pick up her positions and move them into the spare room in the Chairman's house.

Zero instantly felt his cheeks glowing pink at the mention of Kaname Kuran and the memories it evoked, and turned instead to the other person sitting next to Yuuki.

"Well what the hell's _he_ doing here!?" Takuma Ichijou looked up from a manga he was reading with Yuuki and smiled cheerily.

"Oh, I just came to share some manga with Yuuki!" he said happily. In fact, Takuma had come over to the Chairman's house to ask Yuuki if she knew anything about why Kaname was so upset, the distraught expression on her face told him that, no, she hadn't. He supposed it was just as well he hadn't mentioned the pureblood was crying.

As he'd turned to leave, he dropped the manga he was reading and the front cover caught the brunette's attention, the blonde noble had been surprised when he discovered that Yuuki enjoyed the same things he did, even if she'd only recently discovered this fact. Since then, they'd been reading volume after volume of manga. In all honesty, Ichijou was glad there was at least one person on campus he could share his hobbies with. Apparently, at eighteen he was 'too old' for 'silly comic books', and apparently 'boys shouldn't read these things'.

"Yuuki doesn't read manga."

"I do now!" corrected Yuuki, not looking up from the manga she was reading. Her voice was slightly muffled by her hair, which was covering her face. Zero frowned briefly at her, wondering why she had her face covered, before grabbing a seat at the table as far away from the other vampires as he could. Of course, it didn't stop him noticing certain conversations going on at the table.

"So, I suppose you and Kiryuu-kun have a hard time keeping our little fan girls under control, Yuuki-chan?" asked Takuma conversationally. Yuuki glanced up at him and smiled nervously. The vice president of the Moon Dorm was the only vampire she felt slightly at ease with except for Kaname, even though he still scared her a little. Zero just didn't count as a vampire in her eyes, he was just… Zero.

"Well, not that much," lied Yuuki. "I mean, I don't think we're doing badly at our job… are we?"

"No, I think you're doing well. Aidou-kun certainly doesn't mind them."

"Do you mind, Ichijou-sempai?"

"Well, there are some cute girls in the Day Class… come to think of it, some of the boys are cute too…" Zero chocked on his coffee upon hearing Ichijou's last words.

"_What!?_" he cried, staring at the blonde vampire with slightly wide eyes.

"Oops, sorry, I forgot humans were touchy about same sex relationships."

"That's OK, Ichijou-sempai, Zero has no manners." Yuuki shot Zero a glare as she said this. Zero glared back before she turned back to the manga Ichijou had lent her. Why had he gotten out of bed this morning? Oh yeah, because the Chairman said Yuuki was worried. Liar. He was going to kill a certain headmaster later on…

---X---

Kaname sighed as he stepped out into the fresh air. He'd decided to go for a walk to clear his head, and since it was during the Day Class' lesson time, he was likely to be undisturbed by any of those annoying human girls.

The pureblood wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and was quite surprised when he found himself by the school stables. Why on earth had he come in this direction? There was nothing here of interest to him. He was about to turn around, when he heard a voice. More specifically - Zero's voice.

The pureblood knew then that he should turn around and leave _now_, before the hunter noticed his presence. But his stupid heart overruled logic, and he found himself peeking around the door to watch the hunter. If anyone ever saw him in this position, his reputation was ruined.

Zero was currently brushing White Lily's mane, happily loosing himself in the rhythmic strokes, and for some reason he found himself telling her about his day. While he did so, all the troubles of his life sounded like some bad dream or a scary story. His face had lost all the stressed anger it usually held, and was instead replaced with a tranquil expression.

He didn't understand why he always told Lily, if he wanted to receive sympathy for all his troubles he could just talk to Yuuki. But there was something comforting in confiding in a creature that wouldn't tell a soul. Besides, it _felt_ like Lily understood what he was saying, and that was enough for Zero.

While he was thinking this, Lily decided to take a bite out of his hair.

"Hey! What have I told you about eating my hair!?" Lilly's reply was a snort, before the two fell back into silence. Eventually Zero broke it with a sigh.

"At least something's still normal… Yuuki and Cross keep giving me sympathetic glances, like that's supposed to make me feel better about… what happened. But it doesn't, it's just another reminder. And Kuran…" Kaname froze over at the doorway as he heard his name mentioned. "Kuran's started displaying major stalker like tendencies. I've seen him more over the past month than I have for the last four years… and there was that… _kiss_." Zero said the word kiss like it was something nasty on his tongue, causing the pureblood's chest to ache in pain. Lily nudged the hunter gently with her long nose, as if in sympathy.

"You know what was the worst thing about it Lily? I _enjoyed_ it. It went against everything I believe in, but I enjoyed it…" Kaname's heart skipped a beat as he heard Zero's words, and accidentally gasped, which alerted Zero to his presence.

"Kuran!" Zero dropped the brush he was holding and stepped back in surprise, his peaceful expression was lost, and his usual mask of anger slid back into place. "How long have you been standing there!?" And why hadn't he sensed the vampire?

"Is it illegal now to go for a walk Kiryuu-kun?" asked Kaname quietly, unable to brink and spite into his voice, but just barely managing to keep his mask of indifference. Zero shot him a glare and stormed straight past the older vampire. His moment of peace and quiet was over it seemed.

Zero was shocked however, when Kaname grabbed onto his wrist.

"Zero, wait!"

"Get off of me Kuran! And since when were we on first name basis!?" snapped Zero, trying to ignore the tingling sensation that shot up his arm when the pureblood grabbed him.

"I will let you go, if you listen to me," said Kaname, trying to ignore the aching pain in his chest.

"What!?"

"We need to discuss last night, Ze- Kiryuu-kun," he spoke quicker as Zero opened his mouth to object. "Yes, we do. Things can not progress in the same manner they have been as of late."

"…so what are you proposing, exactly vampire?" Kaname took a deep breath before he continued.

"Meet me in the ethics classroom after Night Classes finish."

"Whatever." snapped Zero, snatching his hand back and storming away, doing his best to ignore the slight feeling of anticipation at the back of his mind.

---X---

Several Night Class students gave Zero looks of confusion and dislike as they passed him on their way out of class, Aidou and Ruka in particular, which he deflected with a glare of his own. The others merely ignored him. The only exception were Shiki, Rima and Ichijou, who gave him a friendly smile and a 'Good morning' as he passed. Shiki and Rima just gave him bored glances before dismissing him completely.

When the prefect entered the classroom, he immediately spotted Kaname sitting at a desk by the window reading. The pureblood looked up as the hunter entered the room. Zero's permanent glare intensified and he crossed his arms.

"Well Kuran? I'm here. _Talk_." Kaname sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"When I gave you my blood, I failed to predict there would be consequences." _Like forming a blood bond falling in love with you…_ Zero's glare turned into a look of pure outrage in a matter of seconds.

"_Consequences!? Consequences!?! _Oh, _now _you realise there are bloody consequences!!! You damn bastard!" Kaname completely overlooked the insult and continued to speak in an infuriatingly calm manner.

"There are certain side affects to drinking another vampires blood, but I did not realise they would apply to us."

"And they are!?"

"Lust. Blood sharers always feel the sensation of lust while drinking, seeing how strongly we hated each other, I thought that the rule would not apply." Kaname took a deep breath. "I was wrong." Meanwhile, Zero's face turned an interesting shade of red.

"I am _not_ lusting after you!!!" Kaname gritted his teeth in irritation. Why did the boy have to fight everything!? Why couldn't he just accept things!?

"No!?" he snapped, marching over to the hunter. " Then when I do this," he bared his neck to the ex-human. "You don't feel bloodlust, surge through you!?" It was Zero's turn to grit his teeth as he attempted to pull his gaze away from that pale, slender, _beautiful, soft…_ "And when I do _this_, Kiryuu, you won't loose control!?" He cut a small slit across his neck. That was it for Zero's self control, he automatically lunged forward and sank his fangs into the pureblood's neck, groaning as the sweet bloody nectar ran down his throat.

Kaname also moaned slightly at the sensation, felling the usual heat begin to build up thanks to the blood bond, but didn't forget the point the was trying to make. Sliding his arms around Zero, he pressed their bodies closer together. Before long, both boys were beginning to get aroused, moaning against each other's necks. Suddenly Zero jerked his fangs out of the older vampire's neck, panting softly.

"Do you see now?" Kaname whispered, through heavy breaths. He was surprised when he heard Zero laughing. Except this wasn't a normal laugh, it was low and dangerous, and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Oh yeah, I get it now Kuran. You vampires really are little whores aren't you?" Suddenly Kaname found himself slammed into the desk behind him.

"Kiryuu! What the hell are you doing!?" Kaname stares angrily into the hunter's eyes. But immediately wished he hadn't. The usual lavender hue of Zero's irises had been replaced by a feral red, there was no sanity to be found in their depths, only wild animalistic instinct.

"You know what Kuran? You want me to fuck you that badly? _Then why don't I just do that…"_

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_*Uh… I have the urge to write a porny KaienxZero fic… is that… normal…?_

_And here I leave you, hanging on the edge of a cliff, waiting for that ZeroxKaname lemon until I can be bothered to write the next chapter. Ciao!_


	11. Losing Grip

_**Alone**_

**Darkness Dawn**

_**IMPORTANT A/N: Some important news: (A.K.A, Oh god, more stupid rambling)**_

_I am hereby officially naming Alone an AU fic. That way I have more freedom to make the plot go my way (in canon, many things I have planned, both for the future and the past wouldn't work!_

_It's half term now, so I __**should**__ have more time to update!^^ (In between revision) Sadly, limited time means chapters will be short._

_In regards to the complaints about the ZeKa content, I'm afraid that I can't have KanZe lemons at the moment due to the fact that __**A)**__ Zero still hasn't fully recovered from being _**raped**_, and __**B)**__ He currently hates Kaname. Besides which, certain people like ZeroxKaname, me included (tell me that Zero hasn't looked seme in recent chapters and I'll call you crazy…), and wish to see more of it. _

_Other than that, thank you for reading, alerting and reviewing!^^ I promise there will be KanZe _later. _Also, I'm aware that Zero is waay~ out of character right now, but remember, _**vamped out**_!_

_**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CONSENTUAL, KINKY (yet pleasurable), ZEROxKANAME RAPE (ish), IF YOU REALLY CAN'T STAND TO READ IT THEN SKIP IT!!! (It may not be any good anyway… and it definitely won't be giving anyone a nosebleed… ah well, no tissues required!^^) **_

**It's not really much of a lemon, mostly about the feelings.**

Please note, Kaname is not OOC, he has admitted to being a sadomasochist in canon, so he probably would enjoy having pain inflicted on him during sex. _(though probably only by people he loves, and he'd probably turn around and do the same thing later… maybe he still will… XD KanZe kink anyone?)_

_Sorry for the rambling, go ahead and read._

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Chapter Eleven: Loosing Grip

"_You want me to fuck you that badly? Then why don't I just do that…"_

Kaname felt a strange mixture of fear and arousal surge through him as he gazed up into Zero's wild eyes. The pureblood could tell that there was no talking to the hunter now. Whatever sanity the ex-human still had, had temporarily flown out of the window when he'd sank his fangs into Kaname's neck. The hunter's usual lavender irises had been transformed into thin rims of glowing red around pools of blackness. He closed his eyes and internally berated himself for being stupid enough to awaken an ex-human's vampire nature.

The pureblood went rigid as he felt his jacket and shirt being ripped off of him. He opened his eyes just in time to see Zero straddle his hips, wild red eyes filled with lust. Kaname felt pathetic when he realised just how happy it made him inside knowing that the hunter desired him. He was about to get raped by an ex-human, and that made him _happy_!? There was something seriously wrong with him.

Kaname's eyes widened slightly as Zero's fingers started undoing the front button of his slacks.

"Kiryuu! What are you doing!?" he hissed, smirking Zero leant forward so that he was face to face with the pureblood. Oh yes, the pureblood was furious and without a doubt humiliated. The hunter was going to enjoy this so _very_ much.

"Exactly what I told you I'm doing, Kuran, or are you too high on your bloodsucker pedestal that you didn't hear me? Don't worry, I'll pull you off of it now…"

"Kir-" Kaname's protest was cut of as Zero captured his lips in a violent kiss, his elongated fangs catching against the pureblood's lips, scratching into the soft skin and causing them to bleed. Zero moaned at the taste of the older vampire's blood, causing Kaname's eyes to glaze over at the erotic sound. Briefly he wondered if Zero was aware that he was in a position most other vampires would kill for.

Given the opportunity, a non-pureblood vampire would not hesitate to attack a pureblood and drain them dry, perhaps raping them in the process. Of course, such occasions were rare as purebloods could easily ward off all attackers, though the council of elders had a clever way of getting what they desired.

Sometimes Kaname had felt a little envious of ex-humans, when they were labelled insane, they were killed. End of story. When _purebloods_ were labelled mad, they were locked away from the world 'for their own good.' Nobody was fooled by the charming phrase. When the council took you into their care you'd be locked up for god knows how long. The cells for purebloods appeared rather comfortable, and fresh blood and food would be delivered every day, not that it took much brain power to work out that the food was spiked with an extremely powerful anti-vampire sedative. The sad thing was, most 'insane' purebloods were perfectly healthy and left as prey to the vampire council. Most had merely made a simple mistake that landed them in hell.

Kaname seriously hoped he was not going to make one such mistake with Zero.

Suddenly said hunter pulled his lips away, pulling Kaname out of his thought, before he could do anything else a warm hand dived into his trousers and wrapped around his length, which was rapidly becoming erect. A small gasp flew past the pureblood's lips, causing Zero to smirk sadistically.

"Enjoying yourself, Kuran?" he purred. The hunter's voice held a dark, seductive edge to it, one that sent shivers down Kaname's spine. For emphasis, the ex-human squeezed the elder vampire's shaft slightly, causing him to moan slightly.

"N-no…" he whimpered. _What a complete lie…_ He was loving this, the feeling of Zero's fingers wrapped around him, squeezing and stroking lightly and all the while wringing quiet, breathy moans and gasps from the pureblood. Even the way Zero was _looking_ at him sent a spike of desire through him.

The prefect was eying him as if he wanted to _eat_ him or something along those lines. Blood red eyes burned into him with wild lust, both for his body and his blood, though there was anger there too. But it was that gaze that told Kaname that he _shouldn't_ be doing this! Zero Kiryuu had no control over what was happening, what Kaname was dealing with now was simply the prefect's vampiric instincts.

If he let things continue, then Zero would no doubt blame him later, and he was angry and stressed out enough as it was. Besides, in the right state of mind, there was no way Zero would touch him like this.

"Z-zero-ku-."

"Shut up, Kuran," snapped Zero, pinning Kaname to the desk with one hand, while he removed the older vampire's trousers and underwear with the other. A cruel smirk formed on his face as he saw how aroused the pureblood was. Under different circumstances, such a thing would have made Zero freak out, but right now, he was to vamped out to care. "Heh, do I really turn you vampires on _that much_, Kuran? You've become so _hard,_ and we haven't even started yet…" he said, his voice soft and cold. Kaname shuddered again at the implications of the hunter's words. Lust was starting to take over his mind, despite the embarrassed blush that was spreading across his cheeks. His thoughts became hazy and he was struggling to remember what he'd just been thinking about. Dimly, the pureblood became aware that the silver haired prefect wasn't finished speaking, and had also completely removed his clothes.

"…knew this was what you wanted from the start. Like you'd ever give me your goddamn, precious pure blood free of charge!" Glancing up, the pureblood saw that the anger in those formerly lavender eyes had intensified greatly. Anger at _him_. "Damn it! I am so sick and tired of _everyone_ just thinking they can do whatever the hell they want with me! I am so sick of being used! Well guess what!? It's _my_ turn now!" Kaname felt slightly ill as Zero continued speaking, at the same time removing his own clothes.

He wasn't like that! He never planned to use Zero _at all!_

_Liar, what about a month ago, when Kiryuu was just a chess piece in your game?_ hissed that little voice in his head.

Oh god, Kaname felt like throwing up. That was true, a month earlier and Zero could have dropped dead for all he cared. Since his parents' death four years ago the poor boy had been nothing but a pawn on a chess board in everybody's plans; Shizuka's. the Hunter's Association, _his_.

The pureblood's eyes widened as, without warning, he felt something hard, hot and slightly wet pressed up against his entrance. Sudden realisation hit him like a ton of bricks as he realised what the boy was about to do. _Oh god_, Zero had no idea how to prepare somebody during sex. Well, it was little wonder considering his only sexual experience had been rape, and possibly when he was turned by Shizuka, though that was unlikely. The pureblood closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain that was to come. He deserved every second of it and more.

To his own astonishment, Kaname managed to remain silent as the hunter pushed into him, despite the pain that ripped through him at the action.

The hunter however, could not hold back something that was a cross between a groan and a gasp as he pushed into the pureblood beneath him, pleasure and lust completely overrode his previous rage and pain. Oh dear god, how could anything so strange and foreign feel so unbearable _good_…

Upon hearing his partner's gasp, Kaname hesitantly opened his eyes and glanced at the ex-human. His heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight.

Zero's head was slightly tipped back, his eyes half closed and his lips parted. The hunter's expression was one of pure ecstasy. Zero had never looked so desirable in his life, and seeing him wearing such an expression (and in such a position) sent a spike of desire through the pureblood.

Suddenly, and without warning, Zero pulled out of the pureblood and slammed straight back into him, hitting a certain spot deep inside the brunette, and causing the older vampire to cry out in a bizarre mix of pain and pleasure. For some reason he couldn't understand, he loved the sound that issued from the pureblood's perfect lips, and decided to see if he could make Kaname do it again.

Kaname nearly screamed as the hunter slammed into him again, sending searing pain and burning pleasure shooting through his body. The blood bond was now fully active, not that either of them realised it, especially not Zero, who didn't even know that the bond existed. Their blood bond had previously been transmitting Zero's pain and fury to Kaname, fuelling his guilt and anguish, which was then transmitted back to the hunter, further fuelling his anger and pain. Now however, it was making them feel each other's pleasure and desire, as liquid fire began pooling in their gut.

As Zero took him for the third time, Kaname screwed his eyes shut and bit his lip to stop himself from crying out again, for fear he may accidentally scream the prefect's name. But as his fangs were fully aroused the brunette actually bit _through _his lip drawing blood.

The second Kaname's blood hit the air, all of Zero's attention was locked onto the blood that was quickly welling up on the pureblood's lower lip.

Kaname's eyes snapped open as he felt the hunter run his tongue across his lips, greedily lapping up the blood that had formed there. By now Kaname's blood was pretty much liquid ecstasy, as the ex-human proved by the little moans he made as he licked and nipped the pureblood's mouth, desperately seeking more as he lost himself further and further, all the while still pounding into the pureblood.

Drinking the older vampire's blood at a moment like this was pure bliss. The pureblood's blood was on fire with passion, and something… something else. A feeling similar to lust, but there was something else about it. It was sweeter, gentler and much, much stronger. It felt similar to hate, but not the same…

But whatever it was, Zero couldn't get enough of it.

However, due to Kaname's healing abilities, the hunter didn't get much of a chance to enjoy the sensation before the wound healed. The ex-human made a little noise of disappointment before moving to a different place entirely.

Kaname's breath hitched as he felt the hunter's lips brush against the sensitive skin of his neck, causing him to gag on a moan. The silver haired prefect was now completely pressing his body against the pureblood, his torso and waist rubbing against the brunette's throbbing erection as he slammed in and out of him, the movements becoming harder and faster with each thrust, causing the fire inside them to burn even hotter, both males swiftly reaching the peak of their pleasure.

The second Kaname felt Zero's fangs penetrate his neck, pleasure overloaded his senses and he screamed, every muscle in his body constricting as he reached his peak. More specifically - constricting around the hunter's rigid shaft, which was still buried inside of him.

The second that happened, Zero yanked his fangs out of the pureblood's throat, screaming with his partner as he reached his release with him, before collapsing onto the brunette's (sticky) chest.

For a moment all that could be heard in the classroom was the two males panting, as they lay unmoving, and still… _connected _on the desk. Then;

"K-Kuran…?" Zero's voice was hoarse, and barely above a whisper as he spoke. Oh god, what had he _done_!?! The hunter felt his eyes burning with tears. God he was a monster. An evil, sadistic monster who was only capable of hurting people. Kuran was an asshole, a monster and a bastard, but even _he_ didn't deserve to be… to be _raped_!

"I- Oh _god_, I'm so sorry!" he choked, now sobbing. Kuran was going to kill him for this, and he'd deserve it. He deserved everything he was about to get.

What he didn't expect to receive was a gentle embrace. Zero started slightly as Kaname wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into his chest, gently stroking his hair, just about managing to keep his own tears from showing.

Now that the intense pleasure was fading, only the pain was left behind, and it hurt like hell. But no pain on earth was going to compare to the pain having the proud, independent hunter breaking down and sobbing in his arms. Zero's tears had always disturbed him upon the rare occasions he'd seen them.

A memory flashed through Kaname's head. When he was five, Juuri had been incredibly upset about something trivial. At least, it had been trivial to everyone else, so Juuri spared herself and her family from embarrassment and did nothing. But doing nothing caused her to cry about it, so of course Haruka solved the problem for her. When Kaname had asked him why, he simply smiled and replied;

"Beautiful people should never cry."

_Beautiful people should _never_ cry. _Zero_, should never cry._

Damnit, this was all his fault! If he'd had more restraint back in the alley way he'd never have bitten Zero and created the blood bond between them, _this_ would never happened and the prefect wouldn't be crying in his arms, murmuring broken apologies.

"Shh… Don't cry…" he murmured, smoothing the younger boy's silver locks, and subconsciously marvelling at how smooth it was. He didn't have much time to enjoy the sensation however, before another sensation took over his body. A much more brutal and demanding one.

Gradually, the gentle motion calmed the ex-human down, and his sobs reduced to miserable little hiccups. Vaguely he became aware that Kaname was shaking, and glancing up, saw that the pureblood was gritting his teeth, his impressive fangs fully aroused.

Shit, he'd driven Kaname Kuran into bloodlust. Zero felt himself sinking into even more guilt. Had he really hurt the older vampire so badly that he went into bloodlust? Was he really _that_ much of a monster?

The hunter hesitated as a new idea formed in his head. It was highly unpleasant to him, and most likely highly dangerous. But Kuran needed it, and if it served as punishment for him then all the better.

"Kuran… Kaname, drink my blood."

* * *

_And I shall get back to you later. I apologize for the really pathetic attempt at a lemon and the fact that it is so short, but I really am exhausted. Sorry. Goodnight/day, please review!^^_


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